Lion's Claws and Serpent's Fangs
by AzureOblivion
Summary: Rated T for violence and language. Ginny humiliates Draco. Draco is determined to get back at her. Zabini makes a bet with him. Who will win? Lame summary, I know, but I promise the story is better!
1. The Bet

**Summary: (Rated T for scenes of violence and swearing) Ginny humiliates Draco. Draco is determined to get back at her. Zabini makes a bet with him. Who will win? (Real bad summary btw)**

**Dedicated to Leigh, the best friend a girl could wish for, and of course, the love of my life. I hope you like it.**

**Well I´ve tried to keep this fic as close to the plot of HBP as possible, but there are some small differences. Most importantly, there are some changes to Ginny´s love life, the biggest one being that, at the time of the story, which is at the beginning of the school year, Ginny has already split up with Dean Thomas. Any mistakes I may have made, please forgive me. It´s hard work searching through the book all the time! Other than that, I hope you enjoy, and if you do, then please review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**The Bet**

´Out of the way, _Loony_!´ Draco Malfoy snapped savagely as he shoved past Luna Lovegood on the way out of Transfiguration. ´Can´t you see I´m in a rush?´

Luna frowned and opened her mouth to speak, obviously about to come out with one of her crazy comments, but Ginny Weasley butted in, brandishing her wand under his nose.

´I think you ought to say that with more manners, Malfoy.´ she spat, her face fierce. ´Or perhaps a rat raised by pigs has too small a brain to know any?´

´Oh get out of it Weasley!´ Draco retorted, already in a bad mood at having received a D on his Transfiguration essay. ´I haven´t got time to be taught manners by a stubborn cow raised by a pair of farmers who happen to know a few spells.´

´Stubborn cow am I? Well moo! That´s original! Tell me something I don´t know.´

´Something you don´t know?´ He laughed. ´Look Weasley, I haven´t got breath to waste on a bit of scum who calls herself a witch, and walks around the school with her nose in the air like she owns the place. The only useful thing someone as low as you can do for me is lick my shoes, so get out of my way.´ He watched her, waiting for a reaction, but to his surprise she just stood there smirking, her wand still pointing at his face.

´Well Malfoy,´ she sneered. ´I knew you were dumb, but dumb enough to come out with such a huge insult to someone who´s pointing a wand straight at you, and who is not afraid to use it?´

´Not afraid to use it, huh? How come I´m not rolling around on the floor in agony then?´ said Draco confidently.

´Because I was just waiting for you to ask that question!´ said Ginny, her voice full of gloat. Next second she had thrust her wand forward and yelled ´_Nasaugeo!_´

Draco leaped backwards in shock, clutching his nose, which had suddenly begun to swell rapidly. ´What have you done, Weasley?!´ Draco bellowed in a thick voice.

Ginny cackled. ´Ever heard of Pinocchio Malfoy? Well he got a big nose for telling lies too! You are not above me, and you never will be, no matter how loyal your family are to their lineage!´ With that she walked off, a trail of laughing friends following in her wake.

´Blasted Weasleys!´ shouted Draco, still sounding like he had a bad cold while his nose continued to swell past five times its normal size. ´I´ll bake ´er bay!´

´Shut up you prat,´ said Blaise Zabini, shoving him forward. ´and get to the hospital wing.´

´Yeah, I was jus´ about to do dat fanks!´ snapped Draco, pushing him back. ´C´bon!´ he ordered Crabbe and Goyle, and they both began making their way through the crowd in front of him, elbowing people out of the way to leave a path clear for Draco to walk through, still trying to hide his deformed nose. ´She´ll bay for it, bloody Weasley!´

´Little bitch!´ Draco moaned later that evening in the Slytherin common room. ´All I wanted was to get past and she made me later than ever! No respect whatsoever!´ He slammed his Potions book down on the table feverishly and glared around the room.

´Don´t worry Draco.´ Pansy Parkinson simpered, patting his arm sympathetically. ´At least you´re still good looking. Madam Pomfrey did a good job.´

Draco snorted and pushed her hand away, pulling out parchment and a quill to do his homework. ´What I need is a good curse to use on her, make her sorry she ever opened her gob. It´s not like Lovegood has feelings, dammit.´

´I´ll curse her for you Draco.´ said Pansy, twisting her face into what was apparently supposed to be a determined expression.

´Whatever Parkinson, as long as you let me do the worst damage.´ he sneered, lost in imagining the glory he would have after he had finished with Weasley.

´What exactly are you planning on doing to her?´ asked Zabini coldly, still annoyed with the way Draco had snapped at him earlier.´

´I dunno. Summat _really_ evil that´ll make her _really_ regret sticking her nose where it don´t belong.´

Zabini snorted. ´Well good luck doing that. She´s got such a big head I reckon you´re gonna have a hard time deflating it.´

´Won´t you curse me Draco?´ said Pansy, in a voice which she obviously thought sounded sexy.

Draco ignored her. ´I don´t care how long it takes me, she´s gonna get it. No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it.´

´No one Malfoy?´ sniggered Theodore Nott, coming over and sitting down opposite. ´Since when have the Gryffindorks ever paid for making a fool out of "King Slyth"?´

´Yeah well, that´s about to change.´ said Draco darkly, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet on the table in front of him while he began to do his homework. ´That´s the last time anyone gets the better of Draco Malfoy.´

Zabini and Nott exchanged sarcastic looks, but Draco caught them. ´What, you underestimate me? Just because you two are too dumb to come up with a decent plot, it doesn´t mean I am too.´ He went back to his homework, writing in a fury.

Just then Crabbe and Goyle walked in, having come from a double detention with McGonagall for not having given in their homework at all. Goyle flumped down in an empty seat, staring at everyone stupidly, while Crabbe leaned against the table, scuffing the floor with his feet.

´Sit down you imbecile!´ Draco shouted at him. ´How d´you expect me to concentrate if you´re making me nervous with your hulking about?´

Crabbe shrugged and did as Malfoy had told him to, looking bored. Just then the entrance opened, and a diversion walked into the room in the form of a tall, blonde haired seventh year girl. All the boys surrounding Draco, including Draco himself, looked around at her, their eyes watching her every move. She, however, merely ignored them and walked to the far end of the common room with her nose in the air.

´I swear that Xena Murdock gets better looking every day.´ muttered Zabini, still watching the girl.

´Eyes off.´ said Draco in an undertone, so that Pansy couldn´t hear him. ´It won´t be long before she´s mine.´

´Yours? Yeah right, in your dreams.´ snorted Nott.

´What are you lot whispering about?´ Parkinson piped up. ´If it´s something to do with _her_...´ She jerked her head in Xena´s direction.

´It´s nothing that interests you Parkinson.´ said Draco nastily.

´My name is Pansy!´ she replied, pouting.

´Whatever.´ said Draco, turning his back on her and making a disgusted face at the boys. ´Doesn´t she ever get the message?´

´Yeah, Malf, you´ve already got her.´ said Zabini, smirking.´So I´m setting my hat for Murdock, and she´s bound to choose me over you. Girls swoon at the sight of me.´

Draco snorted. ´Yeah right, if that´s true, how come Murdock ain´t come running yet?´

´Because she ain´t a normal girl. She needs a little persuading. Besides, she´s not gone running to you either yet, has she?´ said Zabini shrewdly.

Draco scowled and turned back to his homework. ´Yeah well, you just watch out Zabini. I´ll have had a kiss out of her by the end of the year.´

´Yeah, sure Malfoy, and she´ll be all mine way before you manage to get revenge on Weasley, mark my words.´

´That a bet?´ said Draco.

´Yeah, fine. Five Galleons.´

´Deal.´ said Draco, and he pulled his potions book closer and concentrated fully on his work.


	2. Miss Houdini

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Miss Houdini**

´So, you got a plan yet?´ Zabini asked Draco as the sixth year Slytherins made their way to Charms class the following morning. A group of Gryffindors were walking ahead of them, Ginny´s red hair clearly visible through the crowd.

´I´m working on it.´ said Draco, giving Ginny´s back a nasty look.

´Well, if it´s any help, I heard that the Gryffindors are having Quidditch practice tonight.´ said Nott, who had been listening behind. ´Urquhart, Vaisey and I are going down to do a bit of spying, see what Potter´s tactics are like, so if you want you can join us. Maybe corner Weasley after.´

´Yeah, not a bad idea. It´ll be a bit risky though, what with Potter and her brother there too, but we could give it a go.´ Draco replied, thoughtfully.

After a minute they had overtaken the Gryffindors, and Draco and Ginny´s eyes met. She smirked at him and tapped the side of her nose, whereas Draco returned the gesture with a look with pure venom. _I´ll get you Weasley,_ he thought. _you just wait._

All through Charms class Draco was lost in thought, till an idea hit him. ´Hey, why don´t we jinx her broom?´ he muttered to Nott.

´Yeah, that´s a good one. It ain´t an easy spell to work though.´

´Who cares. If it don´t work we´ll use plan B.´ said Draco.

´Which is...?´

´Corner her, like you said, you div.´ Draco rolled his eyes.

´Oh yeah. OK.´ said Nott.

´We shouldn´t need Crabbe and Goyle, should we?´

´Nah, she´s a titch. And Urquhart can rip her to pieces.´ Nott replied confidently.

´True.´ said Draco, grinning evilly. ´Ooh, this is gonna be fun.´

´Yeah,´ said Nott, returning the grin. ´seven o´clock tonight, in the Common Room. Don´t be late.´

The evening was cold and starry as they made their way to the torch lit Quidditch pitch, their feet crunching on the grass and their breath coming out as mist. Already they could see the scarlet figures flying around the pitch like brightly coloured insects.

´Crap, why are they always such good fliers?´ grumbled Urquhart, balling his fists. ´And bloody Potter on top of it all. The times we´ve tried to knock him out.´

´Humph.´ said Draco, not really caring. For once in his life he was more interested in humiliating someone other than Potter.

They sneaked in through the entrance and found a shadowy place in the stands, sure that none of the Gryffindors could see them. Draco saw Ginny immediately, streaking after the Quaffle at the opposite end of the pitch.

´You´d be best off waiting till she´s closer.´ muttered Vaisey, then he turned to join Urquhart in analyzing the Gryffindors´ playing style.

Draco didn´t have to wait long. After about ten minutes she passed close by where they were seated, and Draco began to mutter the incantation he had memorized, not taking his eyes off her.

´Going good Malf!´ said Nott after a few minutes, when Ginny´s broom seemed to have started vibrating.

Draco felt anticipation rise in him as he continued to mutter the incantation. Ginny was looking confused and slightly worried. Seconds later the broom started to spin around in mid air.

Some of the other players seemed to have noticed, and flew up to her to see what the problem was, but the broom flew higher and began to buck. Ginny was looking scared now, and was holding on for dear life. But then Harry Potter flew up, and called to her to jump.

´Oh blast!´ moaned Draco, once Ginny was safely on the back of Potter´s broom. ´I nearly had her off then!´ The abandoned broom was now hovering peacefully in the air, and someone summoned it towards the ground, where Ginny remounted.

´Well, I don´t think it´s a good idea to start again, they´re looking for us now.´ said Urquhart, annoyed. ´We might aswell get going. At least we´ve got some idea of how they´re gonna be playing.´

´Yeah, lets get out of here before they come up this way.´ said Nott.

´Can we still do plan B though?´ asked Draco eagerly.

´What was that, gang up on her?´ asked Urquhart, a hungry expression on his face.

Draco nodded, smirking.

´I´m on. We´ll wait outside the stadium.´ said Urquhart. They all left, keeping care to stay in the shadows.

To the Slytherins´ delight, it was the boys who left first, then came Ginny and Demelza and Katie a short time later, when the boys were out of earshot. The Slytherins followed them a short way until the boys had gone through the front doors, Draco in the lead, then he aimed at Demelza.

´_Stupefy_.´ he muttered, and she fell to the floor. Someone else stunned Katie. A few seconds later Ginny noticed that her friends were no longer conscious, and turned.

´_Expelliarmus!_´ said one of the others, and Ginny was wandless, looking around in confusion. The Slytherins circled her, sneering.

´Good evening Weasley.´ mocked Draco, stopping in front of her. ´Had a nice little fly?´

´It was you who jinxed my broom?´ she demanded, her voice steady despite the circumstances.

´Well of course! Who did you think it was? And seeing as Potter was there to rescue you, we´re gonna finish the job off now that you´re all by yourself.´ He leered and the others laughed.

´Oh really? And to what do I owe the pleasure?´ said Ginny sarcastically.

´You don´t know? Well after the trick you played on me yesterday, I couldn´t let you get away unscathed. It´s pay back time, scum.´ He made a signal to the others, who closed in on her. Urquhart grabbed her arms and held them tightly behind her back. ´Now we´ll make a deal. Either you apologize now and promise to never point your filthy wand at me again, or we´ll beat the pulp out of you. You decide.´

´Oh dear, I´m spoilt for choice!´ Ginny laughed bitterly.

´Apologize to Malfoy, Weasley girl.´ growled Urquhart, tightening his grip on her.

´Yeah that´s right, Weasley. Say sorry.´ sneered Draco, bringing his face closer, still grinning menacingly.

Ginny gave him a defiant look, then spat in his face.

´Argh! You dirty little-!´ shouted Draco, trying to wipe it off, but he was cut off by Urquhart wailing in pain. Ginny had just brought her foot down hard on his toes. Vaisey moved forward to grab her, but she kneed him between the legs and dived for her wand, which was lying in the grass some yards away.

´_Furnunculus!_´ she yelled over Vaisey´s moan of agony, pointing her wand at Nott, who was advancing on her.

Pushing the suddenly boil-covered Nott out of the way, Draco leaped at her as she got to her feet, but she pointed her wand at him and shouted ´_Locomotor mortis!_´

Draco fell to the ground like a stone as his legs sprang together, hitting his nose on the floor. He felt it stinging and could taste blood. He looked up at Ginny, who was stunning the others. ´You little-!´

´That´s enough Malfoy!´ she said. ´It´s just you and me now. And once again, I am in power. _Expelliarmus!_´

Draco´s wand zoomed out of his hand and landed far out of his reach. ´That´s not fair!´ he yelled, trying to get up. ´You can´t attack me like this!´

´You´re telling _me_ how to play fair?´ said Ginny, laughing in disbelief. ´It was _you_ who just ganged up on me with three other hulks and took _my_ wand. Where´s the justice in that?´

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Ginny cut across him. ´Save it Malfoy. I´m sick of hearing your words.´ She went over to Demelza and Katie and revived them. They both looked around, shocked. ´I´ll see you tomorrow Malfoy. This is your own mess that you got yourself into, so you can sort yourself out. Come on you two.´ They walked off into the darkness, leaving Draco staring after them in disbelief.

´It´s not over yet Weasley! I´ll get you back! I´ll get even!´ Draco fell silent, spitting out blood from his still bleeding nose, then he began the exhausting crawl towards his wand, cursing every other second.


	3. Playing With Fire

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Playing With Fire.**

´I can´t believe she beat us!´ said Nott at breakfast time the next morning. ´How the hell did she manage it?´

´It´s knowing bloody Potter, that´s what. He has a tendency for wriggling out of tricky situations too.´ said Draco sourly. ´I´ll get her though, or die trying.´ He glanced over at the Gryffindor table, but he couldn´t see Ginny there.

´Urquhart is pretty pissed off too. You better watch out, or he might kick you off the team.´

´He´s got no right to do that. Besides, if he hadn´t been such a wimp...´ Draco angrily took a swig of juice.

´Awww, no luck with the little stench?´ said Zabini, sitting down beside them. ´Did she kick your ass again?´

´Don´t start.´ snapped Draco.

´What, worried I´ll win the bet?´ sneered Zabini.

Draco threw his piece of toast down on his plate and stood up, swinging his bag over his shoulder. ´I´m sick of this. Quit taking the piss.´ He looked at Crabbe and Goyle, who were still eating. ´Well are you two coming or what?´

They both shrugged and turned back to their plates. Draco snorted in annoyance and left, leaving the others sniggering behind him. In the Entrance Hall he passed Ginny and one of her classmates and shot her a poisonous look.

´Oooh, if looks could kill I´d be dead on the floor right now.´ said Ginny sarcastically to her friend. Draco ignored her and proceeded up the stairs, aiming for the room of requirement. He had not forgotten the job he had to do, only neglected it slightly the past couple of days.

The castle was bustling, students going down to breakfast or making their way to class early. He was glad to reach the deserted seventh floor corridor. The quietness eased his banging head and his anger ebbed away slightly. But it did nothing to loosen the nerves he was feeling at the job he had to do. So far he had achieved nothing.

After making the door appear in the wall, he entered and made his way past the junk towards the broken black vanishing cabinet. Dumping his stuff on the floor, he turned to face it and sighed. After a moment he took out his wand and began to set to work on it again, trying to fix it. But his mind was distracted by Ginny. He couldn´t stop thinking about how much he wanted to get back at her. In the end he gave up and sank to the floor, trying to think of another way to get revenge on her.

Having lost track of time, he realized he was late for class, and quickly picked up his bag and dashed out.

Draco wondered hopelessly among the library shelves a few days later, searching for something that might aid him in his mission, but it was no use. He came to the restricted section, and wondered vaguely if he would have any luck there. What excuse could he use? And would he even need an excuse? After all, he was a N.E.W.T. student now, and a prefect to top it off. Would he be questioned?

He glanced around at Madam Pince, who was busy stamping books, and then he scanned the rest of the area for any teachers, but there was no one. Acting casual, he stepped over the separation rope and began to browse the shelves beyond, smirking at one covered in blood.

Hidden from view of Madam Pince´s desk, he picked up a random book off a shelve and flicked through the pages. It turned out to be full of nasty looking curses. He memorized a few of the good looking ones and then returned the book to the shelf, picking up another.

After half an hour, he got bored of searching fruitlessly, so he decided to leave and go to the Room of Requirement and continue his endless attempts at fixing the stupid cabinet. On his way, however, he ran into Ginny, who was surprisingly alone. He hadn´t seen her close up again since that morning after breakfast, but the memory of her victory still stuck in his mind, and he was still determined to get her back for it. His mind flitted to the curses he had just memorized and he grinned.

´Something amuse you?´ she asked, scowling.

´Oh yes, I´ve just found some very interesting spells in a book in the library. Perhaps you will consent to being my guinea pig and letting me try them out on you.´ His grin widened.

´Oh really?´ said Ginny. ´Well I´m sooo sorry to disappoint you but I´m in far too much of a rush.´

´Awww, such a pity. But I doubt you´re in as much of a rush as I was that day when you decided to modify my nose.´

´Maybe not, but it still doesn´t mean I´m gonna stick around.´ She made to walk past him, but Draco took a few steps to the right and grabbed her arm to stop her.

´I think you are actually, Weasley.´ he sneered.

´Get off me Malfoy.´ said Ginny, her voice calm but her face angry.

He smirked and pushed her against the wall, still holding her arm tightly. He lifted a hand and took a strand of her red hair thoughtfully, allowing it to stream through his fingers. ´This hair is much too pretty for you Weasley. I think I can fix that for you.´ Giving her an evil look, he pulled out his wand. ´_Capillum tondere!_´

Ginny gasped as long strands of her hair began to fall to the floor and pushed Draco away. ´You evil... what do you think you´re doing?!´

´Just having a little fun.´ laughed Draco. ´And this time you can be the clown, not me.´

´Ha, well you´ve _really_ upset me Malfoy, especially since I can easily grow it back with a hair growing charm. Idiot.´ She pulled out her own wand and pointed it at him. ´_Rictumsempra!_´

Draco fell to the floor, wheezing from the exaggerated tickling sensation and clutching his stomach. Catching his breath with difficulty, he looked up at Ginny who´s hair was still falling out and pointed his wand at the hem of her robes. ´_Incendio!_´

Ginny jumped back when she felt the heat and put the fire out with a splash of water from her wand, then ended the curse that Draco had placed on her and her hair stopped falling out. In her distraction, Draco managed to utter the counter spell for the tickling charm and got to his feet.

´_Expelliarmus!_´ he said, and Ginny´s wand flew out of her hand.

´Oh that´s clever of you. Acting a coward again now are we? Why don´t you face me like a man Malfoy, or are you too afraid of a _little girl_ like me?´ she laughed, a smug look on her face.

´Oh I´m not afraid Weasley, I´m just sick of the way you keep finding your way out of everything.´ He flicked his wand upwards while thinking an incantation and watched Ginny get pulled into mid air and hang by her ankle, while her robes covered her head.

´Hey! You´re lucky I´m wearing trousers underneath Malfoy, or I´ll have you done for being a pervert!´ She shouted, struggling to clear her face to look at him.

´Pervert? Haha, why would I wanna look at your knickers Weasley?´ He took a few steps towards her for a better view of her face, which was turning red with the rush of blood. ´Awww, getting a little sweaty there are we? I´ll let you down then.´ He flicked his wand again and allowed Ginny to crumple into a heap.

´Argh, that hurt Malfoy!´ she yelled, getting up and clutching her head. ´Pig!´

´It was supposed to hurt Weasley. That was the whole point.´ Draco sneered.

´Yeah? Well I hope this hurts too!´ Without warning she kicked him in the privates.

´Ow! You little cow!´ Draco shouted in pain.

Ginny laughed and grabbed Draco´s wand. ´_Petrificus totalus!_´

Draco´s arms and legs sprang together suddenly and he fell to the floor on his back. He stared up at Ginny angrily.

´Now, lets fix this hair of mine, shall we? _Capillum retorno!_´ She pointed her wand at her head and her hair grew back immediately, looking just as it had done before, if not better. ´Now, what shall we do to you?´ She walked around his body and stopped behind his head, then knelt down beside him to look at his face, allowing her hair to fall lightly against his cheek. Draco suddenly felt slightly light-headed at the flowery scent of her shampoo.

´Maybe we could allow you to speak.´ She smiled and tapped his lips with her wand. Draco suddenly felt the movement return to his mouth. ´Is there anything you´d like to say Malfoy? Perhaps the usual?´ She suddenly put on a deep voice. ´_"I´ll get you, filthy blood traitor scum. I´ll make you pay!"_´ She giggled.

´Bitch.´ said Draco, his eyes burning with fury.

´Oh I know I am, Malfoy. You don´t need to tell me that.´ She smirked, then to Draco´s shock and horror, she lowered her face to his and and kissed him lightly on the lips, running a hand along the side of his face. Still smirking, she got up without a word and walked away, picking her wand up as she went.

Draco, bewildered, listened to her footsteps all the way out of the corridor. Then he remembered that he couldn´t move. ´Oh damn! Now what the hell do I do? And that filthy little cow kissing me, who does she think she is?´

He waited in silence until he heard some footsteps around the corner. ´Help!´ he shouted, not caring who it was. All he wanted to do was get out of there. ´Help!´

The footsteps sped up and drew nearer, but it wasn´t until the person was right beside him that he could see that it was Professor Flitwick.

´Dear me Mr Malfoy.´ squeaked Flitwick. ´You´ve got yourself in a right pickle there, haven´t you? _Finite._´

Draco felt the spell lift and got to his feet, rubbing his lips and face where Ginny had touched him. ´Thanks Professor.´ he muttered reluctantly, looking around for his wand. To his relief, he saw that Ginny had mercifully discarded it a few feet away.

´No problem Mr Malfoy. But may I ask what happened?´ said Flitwick, watching Draco retrieve his wand.

´Some Gryffindor Professor. Thought it would be funny to curse me. I don´t know her name. She´s younger.´ he partly lied. He wasn´t sure why he was not telling on her. Perhaps because he would have to admit that he had started it if he did.

´Dear dear. Well, if you find out her name, tell one of us professors and we´ll sort it out for you.´ said Flitwick, and he smiled kindly, but Draco ignored it.

´Yeah, thanks sir. Anyway, I better be off. Bye.´ said Draco, walking away.

´Yes, see you in class Mr Malfoy.´ he replied, walking away too.

_Ha, he won´t be so willing to help when I become a murderer. _Thought Draco bitterly, turning the corner.


	4. A Favour

**A Favour**

Getting desperate, Draco neglected his battle against Ginny over the next few weeks and went to working constantly on the cabinet. But he was beginning to lose hope already. He formed the idea to have the cursed necklace he had reserved in Borgin & Burkes sent to Madame Rosmerta, upon whom he had placed the Imperius curse. He knew it wasn´t infallible, but in his state he gave little thought to the consequences and decided to take the chance. He hatched a way for it to get into the castle, the best he could think of.

But, to his dismay, his plan failed, and instead Katie Bell got in the way. What was more, he was a suspect, and he had McGonagall, Dumbledore and Snape on his back. He was sure Potter had something to do with it, and the stress was making him ill. Choiceless, he returned to his never ending war against the cabinet, trying everything he knew to fix it.

Several days before the first Quidditch game against Gryffindor at the end of October, Draco realized in horror that he had been playing terribly in practice, and Urquhart was not at all happy with him, so he braced himself to announce that he was feeling too ill to play. In a fury that made Draco think that he was going to chuck him off the team, Urquhart went off to find a substitute after Draco had told him. Breathing a sigh of relief that he had got off lightly, Draco went over to a corner of the Common Room and joined his male classmates sitting around in armchairs.

´What did you do to Urquhart?´ demanded Nott as soon as he had sat down. ´Must have been summat bad to make him yell the way he did.´

´Yeah.´ said Draco vaguely. ´I told him I´m not playing on Saturday.´

´What?!´ said Nott, sitting bolt upright while Crabbe and Goyle stared at him stupidly. ´How come?´

´Well you´ve seen the way I´ve been playing lately. I´m too stressed.´ said Draco bitterly.

´How come you´re stressed Malf?´ asked Zabini lazily as he turned a page of his Defense Against the Dark Arts book. ´You´re plan on breaking Princess Weasel´s neck not going too well? Afraid to face her in mid air?´

´Shut up Blaise.´ said Draco, rubbing his eyes and lounging exhausted in his chair. ´I´m not in the mood.´

Zabini smirked and looked away, watching Xena Murdock laughing and joking with her friends in a corner. Draco followed his gaze and watched her while lost in thought for a short while, until Pansy came along suddenly and plonked her heavy bottom on his lap.

´Umph! Gerroff me!´ said Draco, startled from his trance.

´Aww, why Draco?´ she cooed, while wrapping her arms around his neck.

´Cause I´m tired and I´m not in the mood for having a heavy lump like you squishing me down.´ he snapped darkly.

Pansy pouted. ´I´m not that heavy Draco. And are you going to bed? Won´t you give me a kiss goodnight?´ She puckered up her lips and fluttered her eye lashes ridiculously.

´Sod off Parkinson.´ snarled Draco, and he gave her a shove and stood up, then stormed over to the boy´s staircase, followed by the sound of the others sniggering.

Gryffindor´s victory lowered Draco´s spirit even more over the next few days, and it didn´t help that Ginny Weasley had started breaking into a huge smirk every time she met his gaze. It annoyed him so much, that he finally snapped one afternoon when he was spending his lunch hour alone in the courtyard, in need of some fresh air. She had just walked past with a fellow fifth year and thrown him an amused grin. He jumped to his feet.

´What is it with you Weasley?´ he demanded.

Ginny stopped and turned to face him. ´Nothing Malfoy. Should there be a reason for me to grin at you every time I pass?´

´Yes, it´s getting on my nerves!´

´Oh I´m soooo sorry Drakey Poo, I didn´t realize. I was only trying to be friendly.´ she mocked. Her friend looked between them, amused.

´I still haven´t forgotten my promise Weasley. I´m just taking time out at the moment, that´s all.´ Draco replied dangerously.

´Awww, such a pity. I look forward to kicking your ass. I´m not doing anything, if you´d like a duel now.´ she smirked.

´A duel now? In the middle of the courtyard, where a teacher could turn up at any moment? I´m not that stupid Weasley, and I didn´t think you were either.´ drawled Draco.

Ginny rolled her eyes. ´No, not here you div. I was thinking of somewhere more secluded. Would you like to pick a location?´

´Sure. Forbidden Forest, how about it?´ said Draco, his lips curling into an evil grin.

Ginny narrowed her eyes playfully. ´Ooh, very daring. Perhaps Casey can be referee?´ She looked questioningly at her friend.

´Sure.´ said Casey, shrugging. ´As long as you don´t include me in your little fight.´

´Oh?´ said Draco, raising an eyebrow at the girl. ´The Forest doesn´t scare little girls like you?´

´No, as a matter of fact, it doesn´t.´ said the girl. ´I can bet you I´ve been in there way more times than you. I was champion of dares back in third year, me.´

Ginny grinned. ´Yep, that she was.´

´Oh really? Well perhaps you have been in more than me, but I doubt you have been as far in as me. I left the path, me, back in _first _year.´

Casey shrugged. ´Do I care?´

So, you coming then?´ said Ginny. She half turned, looking at Draco questioningly.

´Of course.´ said Draco, walking forward with his hands in his pockets. He strode alongside the two girls, keeping his fingers curled around his wand, should either of them suddenly try to attack him without warning. Glancing at Ginny, he saw that she seemed to be doing the same thing.

Ten minutes later, they reached the edge of the Forest. Glancing around to make sure no one was looking, they entered and walked on a little way. Ginny stopped once they were out of sight of the castle.

´This should do fine.´ she announced, looking around her and taking her wand out of her pocket.

´Sure? You don´t want to go a little further?´ Draco teased, the grin back on his face as he took out his wand too.

´No. It´s not necessary.´ said Ginny, narrowing her eyes.

´Chicken.´ Draco sneered.

Ginny opened her mouth to retaliate, but Casey cut across her. ´Look, are you gonna do this or what? I´m getting bored here.´

´Yeah, sure Casey. Right, Malfoy, are we gonna do this the proper way? Formalities and all?´ Ginny smirked.

´Oh yes, I only ever do things properly.´ He took his position in front of her, watching her shrewdly.

´Okey dokey.´ said Ginny, facing him too. ´And if either of us break any rules, Casey will stun the rule breaker. Right?´

´Yeah, Casey will stun me more like.´ Draco sneered.

´Whatever.´ said Casey, taking out her own wand and standing between them a little to the side. ´And there will be no Unforgivable Curses, or I´ll jinx you to jelly.´

´Tut tut, d´you really think I´d risk Azkaban just to win a silly little duel?´ said Draco, looking at Casey in fake disbelief.

Casey shrugged. ´How should I know? I don´t even know you.´

´Right, never mind that. But the rules are set, and no starting until Casey has counted all the way to three.´ said Ginny. ´Or attacking me when I bow.´

Draco grinned. ´Ooooh, you know me too well Weasley.´

´So, if you´re gonna bow, do it now.´ said Casey, getting impatient.

´Fine.´ Ginny bowed slightly, not taking her eyes off Draco while he did the same, then they both held their wands in front of each other.

´One...´ began Casey. ´two... three!´

´_Flipendo!_´ Draco yelled, jumping forward in his hurry.

´_Protego!_´ shouted Ginny, just in time. She then waved the shield away and performed the Bat-Bogey Hex.

Draco yelled as the weird slimy winged objects attacked him and he covered his face with his arms. Casey and Ginny stood there laughing. ´_Evanesco!_´ he cried, waving his wand around desperately. Some of the bogeys disappeared, giving Draco a clear shot at Ginny. ´_Serpensortia!_´

Ginny watched, amused, as a huge black snake smacked onto the floor and uncoiled itself, advancing on her rapidly. ´_Incendio._´ she said, giving a lazy flick of her wand, and the snake was burned to ashes within seconds. ´That the best you got Malfoy? You´re sooo crap at dueling.´

Draco continued to struggle to get the bogeys off him, then finally he vanished them all. ´Conjunctivitis!´

Ginny stumbled back as the spell hit her in the face. She looked around blindly, unable to see. ´Hey, that´s not fair! _Expelliarmus!_´ She waved her wand around in the direction she thought Draco was in, but her spell hit Casey instead.

Taking advantage, Draco stunned Casey, then advanced on Ginny. ´Guess who you just hit?´ he said, his voice coated in gloat. ´And guess who I just stunned!´

´Noo!´ yelled Ginny, sending a trail of stunning spells in random directions.

Draco laughed as they missed him by miles. ´Just you and me now Ginger. _Locomotor Mortis!_´

Ginny tripped and fell to the floor, her wand flying out of her hand. Draco stepped forward and hovered his foot inches above it. ´Would you like me to break it for you?´

Ginny squinted, still unable to see. ´Break what?´

´Your wand of course. Or would you prefer it to be your neck?´ He then kicked the wand aside, bent down and wrapped his fingers around her throat, forcing her up into a sitting position. ´All you have to do is say the words, and I´ll strangle you.´

´Get off me!´ she shouted, swiping out with her fist and colliding it with the side of his head.

Draco felt stars erupt in front of his eyes and he fell sideways. After clearing his head, he lunged at her and grabbed her wrists, pinning them to the floor. Ginny struggled beneath him, but he held her tight. ´Why did you kiss me, huh?´ he demanded, his teeth bared. ´What were you trying to achieve?´

She continued to struggle for a moment, then spat upwards into his face again.

´UGH!´ bellowed Draco, throwing himself away from her. ´You dirty little bitch! What is it with you?´

Ginny laughed and sat up, then dragged herself rapidly towards Draco, grabbing hold of his legs and pulling him to the ground. She then pulled herself on top of him and grabbed his wand, attempting to wrest it from his grasp.

´Oh no you don´t!´ He yelled, tightening his grip and rolling over on top of Ginny as she continued to tug at his wand.

´Oh yes I do!´ she said, pushing him over and getting on top of him again. Desperately, she bit into his arm. Draco yelled in pain and involuntarily loosened his grip. Taking the wand off him, Ginny rolled away and got tangled in a clump of bushes. ´_Finite!_´ Able to see and walk again, she jumped out of the bush to see Draco coming at her like an enraged bull. She dived to the side to avoid him, and he went charging into a tree, then he fell to the floor where he sprawled motionless.

Ginny watched him for a few moments, expecting him to get up. Holding the wand in front of her, she moved forwards slowly, then nudged him with her toe. He didn´t move. ´Malfoy?´ She walked around him and peered at his face. His eyes were closed, his mouth was hanging open, and a nasty red lump was forming on his forehead. ´Ouch. Bet that hurts. Come on Malfoy, you can stop pissing about now.´ She nudged him again, but he still didn´t move.

She looked around, and noticed her wand lying on the floor a few feet away. After glancing at Draco again, she went to get it, then returned to his side.

´Well, if you really are unconscious, what shall I do with you? Shall I just leave you here to rot, or shall I take pity on you and get you to the hospital wing? Or... maybe I could shave all your hair off to make you look like an idiot, and stick pins in your eyes, and hang you upside down from the tallest tree and let birds crap all over you.´ She watched his face for a reaction, even a flicker of his eyelids, but there was none. She sighed. ´Well then, I suppose you really are unconscious.´

After nudging him one last time, just to make sure, Ginny conjured up a floating stretcher, levitated his body onto it, then looked around. It was then that she remembered Casey. She went over to her.

´_Ennervate._´ she muttered, and Casey opened her eyes and sat up. ´There we go. Come on, lets get this lump up to the hospital wing. Although no doubt he won´t thank me for it.´

´Don´t see why you bother.´ said Casey. Ginny grinned at her, but she helped all the same.


	5. Missing The Flames

**Missing the Flames**

Draco woke up some hours later with his head thumping. He let out a low groan and put his hand up to his forehead, which was covered in bandages. He groaned again, and it was answered by quick footsteps.

´Glad to see you finally awake Mr Malfoy.´ said a brisk voice. Draco looked around and saw Madam Pomfrey walking towards him. ´Had quite a bump there. You´re lucky Miss Weasley and Miss Doe brought you up here.´

´WHAT!´ yelled Draco, sitting bolt upright, but immediately his head started spinning. He slumped back down again. ´Who brought me up here??´

´Miss Weasley and Miss Doe. Why, do you have a problem with that?´ she looked at him, perplexed.

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled incomprehensible words.

´Didn´t quite catch that Mr Malfoy. What did you say?´ She walked to a cabinet and took out a bottle of medicine and conjured up a spoon, then came back to his side.

Draco glared at her for a moment. ´I wanted to know how long I have to stay here for.´ he said grouchily.

´Well, lets see how this medicine does, then, depending on how soon your head stops spinning, you can go sometime today. With a bit of luck, you´ll be fine by dinner time.´

´Oh right.´ said Draco moodily, watching Madam Pomfrey pour a measure of medicine into the spoon. She offered it to him, and he reluctantly gulped down the foul tasting liquid. The pain immediately lessened somewhat, but he still felt dizzy when he attempted to sit up again.

´Better?´ asked Madam Pomfrey, re-corking the bottle.

´A little.´ replied Draco, passing a hand over the bandages again.

´Right then. I suggest you get a little sleep while the pain wears off.´ she said, walking away.

´But I never sleep during the day.´ Draco complained.

´Suit yourself, but it´s the best medicine.´ She then left him alone and went to tend to another sick patient up the other end of the ward. Draco grumbled again and rolled over onto his side, thinking furiously about Ginny.

Several hours later he was able to get out of bed without feeling dizzy, so Madam Pomfrey, after applying some ointment to his head which reduced the swelling considerably, and making him eat something, let him leave. Draco was glad to get out. He had only had one visitor the whole afternoon, Pansy Parkinson, but he had pretended to be asleep when he saw her come through the door.

Happy to stretch his legs, Draco strolled through the corridors in the direction of his Common Room. Seeing as it was after dinner, he met little activity throughout the castle, except for a pair of seventh year Ravenclaws and a gaggle of third years, whom he ordered nastily to get to their dorms as it was after their curfew. To his surprise, however, he ran into Ginny on the staircase that joined the first and second floors. She was alone.

He glanced at her, with the intention of walking right past her, but she stopped and spoke to him. ´So, I see you´re feeling better.´

´Yeah I am.´ he replied with unnecessary viciousness.

´OK then. No need to thank me. I wasn´t expecting you to anyway.´ said Ginny as she continued to climb the stairs.

´Good, cause it was your fault I ended up there in the first place.´ Draco answered, walking past her on the stairs. He expected to hear a comeback, but he could only hear her footsteps. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he looked back, but Ginny had already disappeared from view. It was a few moments before he realized that he was disappointed. _Get a grip Draco_, he scolded himself. _How can you miss _her_ of all people?_

Annoyed, he continued his journey down to his Common Room. When he reached it, he went straight to his dorm and got into bed, not wishing to talk to anyone.

On hearing that he had so far achieved nothing in his mission, Draco´s father wouldn´t let him go home for the Christmas holidays. Depressed at the unfairness of it all, Draco spent half of his free time in the Room of Requirement and the other half up in his dorm, refusing to talk to anyone. What was more, he went off his food and his already bad class performance dropped to an almighty low. But he didn´t care. All he wanted was to complete his mission for once.

He had temporarily abandoned his war against Ginny, and she seemed to respect him for it as she had finally stopped teasing him every time they made eye contact. Which was, in fact, very little anyway those days. But, however, the thirst for revenge was reawoken slightly on the night before the last day of term.

´I´m asking Xena to come to Slughorn´s party with me tomorrow.´ Zabini announced smugly as they each lay in their own beds.

´Oh really?´ Draco yawned, only slightly interested.

´Yup. Why don´t you invite Weasley?´ Zabini mocked, looking over at Draco through the darkness.

´And why would I want to do that?´ asked Draco, staring up at the canopy above his bed.

´Well I was thinking perhaps that you might want to have a little dance with her, share a few laughs, maybe even a few kisses?´ He sniggered, and the other boys joined in a little.

Draco sat up and looked at him furiously. ´Are you out of your mind? What the hell could make you think that?´

´Oh I dunno.´ said Zabini, guffawing. ´It´s just that all this hate is starting to look rather romantic, especially the way she helped you out the other week. Did you give her a thank you kiss?´

Draco grabbed a spare cushion from the end of his bed and threw it at Zabini, hitting him square in the face. ´Go to hell Blaise.´ He then forced his hangings closed, dragged his covers over him and lay down facing the other way.

He heard Zabini continue to laugh for some time, joined by the other boys, but he ignored them and then finally he drifted off into restless sleep.

´Going to miss me Malfoy?´ came Ginny´s voice sarcastically from nearby. Draco blinked and realized that he had just been staring at her absent-mindedly for the past ten minutes. He blushed, thinking that he must have given her the completely wrong idea. He had only been debating just how mistaken Zabini really was.

´No. Why the heck would I?´ muttered Draco, putting on a disgusted face. He glanced around to make sure Madam Pince couldn´t hear him. They were in the library.

Ginny shrugged and leaned against a bookcase. ´I dunno. I just thought you liked getting your ass kicked.´

´Yeah? Well I don´t. But I will miss trying to kick yours.´ replied Draco, turning a page of the book that was in front of him, then slamming it shut, deciding it was a useless piece of junk.

´You´ll miss kissing it you mean.´ Ginny smirked and sat down on a chair opposite him.

Draco leaned back and watched her with a slight frown on his face. ´Do you _like _me or something?´

Ginny wrinkled her nose. ´Eugh, no, why would I?´

´Just the way you keep showing up to annoy me.´

´It was _you_ who was just staring at _me_ for ages. And it was _you_ who started off stalking me at the start.´ said Ginny, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and studying the nails on her other hand while she did so.

Draco smirked in sarcasm. ´Oh, so you think _I_ fancy _you_? That´s ridiculous. I was stalking you to pick on you, and I was only staring at you because I was trying to think of a good plan for how best to attack you next. It´s rather annoying the way you keep managing to slither out of my reach.´

´Hmm, funny how you see me as some sort of snake. I thought that snakelike behaviour was worthy only of Slytherins?´

Draco shrugged. ´What´s that got to do with anything?´

´Nothing.´ said Ginny, reaching forward and taking the book Draco had just been looking through. ´What´s this you been reading?´

´Crap.´ said Draco, boredly running a finger along the edge of the table.

´Right.´ said Ginny, pushing the book away from her again. ´So, you taking Parkinson to Slughorn´s party tonight?´

Draco blushed again, remembering what Zabini had said the night before. ´No. I wouldn´t wanna go to the stupid thing anyway, even if I had been invited. And _definitely not_ with Parkinson.´

´Aww, poor you. Marvelous Malfoy hasn´t been invited to a party.´ She pulled a face, mocking him.

´So. Like I said, I don´t care. Anyway, who are _you_ going with?´ he asked shrewdly.

´I´m not. I don´t wanna go to "_the stupid thing"_ either.´ replied Ginny.

´Oh really? I thought you loved being the center of attention.´

´Me? Yeah right.´ said Ginny, getting to her feet. ´So, you not planning on attacking me again before the hols?´

Draco shrugged. ´Unless the opportunity arises, I might aswell save my strength.´

´Right. I´ll look forward to winning again then when that opportunity arrives. Till then, see you around Malfoy.´ She began to walk away.

´You may look forward to it,´ he called after her. ´but I wouldn´t bank on winning again if I were you.´

She glanced around at him again, but merely smirked maliciously before disappearing among the library shelves. Draco slumped back in his chair again, after receiving a dirty look from Madam Pince for raising his voice. He pulled the book back over to him, thought better of it, then stood up to return the book to the shelf. He then left, hands in pockets and a moody look upon his face that had something to do with Ginny´s absence.

The castle was almost empty throughout the holidays. The Slytherin Common Room was practically dead, except for a few scattered fifth and seventh years who were studying for exams, and his dormitory was completely empty, but he liked it that way. He kept out of the way of other people as much as possible, especially the teachers, and instead of attending meals in the Great Hall, he relieved his reduced appetite by snacking in the kitchens on the occasions that he felt hungry.

Christmas day was no different from the rest of the holiday. He woke up to find a much smaller amount of presents at the end of his bed than usual, but he didn´t bother opening them. Instead, he got dressed and went straight to the Room of Requirement, not emerging until after lunchtime when he went down to the kitchens and had a turkey sandwich. The house elves were bustling around busily, cleaning up after all the cooking, and he watched them vaguely. It was a few moments before he realized that he was being stared at.

´Dobby?´ he asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the sight of the little creature. ´What you staring at me for?´

´No reason Master Malfoy sir.´ said Dobby, hanging his head and shuffling his feet in embarrassment.

Draco continued to watch him. ´Why are you wearing clothes if you´re working here?´

´Because Professor Dumbledore is a good master, and he lets Dobby be a free house elf. He pays Dobby, and lets him wear clothes!´

Draco stared at him. ´Seriously? Pfft, what a crackpot.´

Dobby opened his eyes ever wider. ´Master Malfoy musn´t speak about Professor Dumbledore like that sir! Professor Dumbledore is a good man, and a good master!´

´Whatever.´ said Draco, turning back to his food and chewing it moodily. He felt Dobby´s huge eyes on him for a few moments more, but then he shuffled away to help the other house elves clean up.

When he emerged from the basement corridor some time later, on his way back up to the seventh floor, he saw a few girls crossing the Entrance Hall. One of them seemed to have fiery red hair, and for a split second Draco thought it was Ginny, but then he blinked and realized that it was just the reflection of the luminous baubles which decorated a nearby Christmas tree shining on her glossy hair. Draco watched them disappear up the marble staircase, finding himself wishing that it had been Ginny. Then he realized what was going through his mind and scolded himself. Why did he keep thinking about her? _It´s just that idiot Zabini, _he thought to himself, then nodded, satisfied with the conclusion.

**Right, this is the first five chapters of this fic. I know it may be a little slow, or that maybe the arguments bore you a little, and if so I´m sorry! I can´t say when I´ll have the next lot of chaps up, but reviews are more than welcome in the meantime! Thank you for reading this far. I really appreciate it!**


	6. Dancing With The Enemy

**Right, back again with another set of chappies. I wasn't planning on updating with only 3 extra ones, I wanted to reach my next milestone already, but with the aftermath of exams I'm finding it hard to sit down and do any writing at the mo. It won't be long before you find out what happens winks, but I just got tired of making you wait for anymore, especially with the reviews begging me to update! And I greatly appreciate reviews, and the more I receive, the more I'll be spurred on to write more!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. But I´m beginning to wish Draco was mine... All mine... My preciousss... P **

**Dancing With The Enemy**

´If it isn´t my favourite Slytherin.´ came a sarcastic voice from behind Draco. He turned to see Ginny walking along the corridor with Casey.

´Don´t start Weasley. You´ve only been here, what, twelve hours, and you´re bothering me already.´ he said irritably, although deep down he felt glad to see her again at last. ´Wait for me to pick on you, can´t you?´

Ginny just laughed as she and Casey overtook him and the Slytherins. ´I´ll do that Malfoy.´

´Good.´ he answered, gritting his teeth and digging his hands into his pockets. Suddenly, Zabini gave him a nudge between the ribs. He looked at him. ´What?´

´Ooooh!´ He gestured towards Ginny and sniggered.

´You better shut up Blaise, or I´ll do something to your face that will definitely make me win the bet.´

´Ooooh, I´m so scared!´ he replied, causing the others to laugh with him.

Draco rolled his eyes. ´Whatever Zabini. Perhaps you´ll grow up someday.´ He picked up his pace and left them behind, but when he reached the Entrance Hall he decided he´d rather skip breakfast and made his way down to the Potions classroom instead.

He sat on the floor outside the classroom door, thinking that there wouldn´t be anyone there for ages yet, but he didn´t care anyway. Feeling a little cold, he pulled his cloak closer around him and leaned his back against the stone wall, closing his eyes. Presently he dozed off, being it so early in the morning, but he was awoken a short time later by Slughorn´s booming voice.

´Draco Malfoy! Whatever brings you down here so early in the morning?´

Draco´s eyes snapped open immediately and he watched Slughorn waddle up to the dungeon door before answering. ´Nothing, _sir_, just waiting for class to start.´

´Well come in, come in, it must be freezing down on that floor.´ said Slughorn, not noticing the sarcastic tone in Draco´s voice as he unlocked and opened the door.

Draco picked up his bag and followed him in, then dumped it by his table and sat down. ´Anyway, what brings _you _down here so much earlier than usual?´

´Oh, this and that. I have to set up today´s project.´ Slughorn replied, rummaging around in his brief case.

´Oh right...´ said Draco, watching him vaguely.

Slughorn had started to set up his cauldron before he spoke again. ´So Draco, what did you think of my Christmas party?´

´It was OK.´ Draco replied boredly. ´But as you know, I didn´t stay long.´

´Ah, yes. Well listen, I´m holding another one this Friday. It´s going to be smaller of course, and you can´t bring guests this time, but I thought I´d invite you seeing as you missed out last time.´ He smiled at Draco.

´Oh right... well, who´s going?´ said Draco.

´Well there´ll be Blaise from your house, and Harry Potter if he hasn´t got Quidditch practice, _again_.´ His eyes twinkled slightly when he said Harry´s name. ´And Cormac McLaggen, Harry´s friend Hermione, Ginny Weasley -´

´I´d love to come.´ said Draco quickly, sitting up in his seat.

´You would? Right, that´s brilliant then. Here´s the invitation with the date and time on it.´ He conjured up a piece of rolled up parchment tied with a little ribbon and handed it to him.

´Thanks.´ said Draco, taking it and dropping it into his bag. He decided to set his own cauldron up while he waited for the other students to arrive.

´Guess what?´ he whispered lazily to Zabini when he had sat down beside him.

´What?´ said Zabini, pulling out his potions book.

´I´m coming to that party with you on Friday.´

´Oh, are you? What, Slughorn´s?´

´Yep.´ said Draco, opening his book at a random page, not caring if it was the wrong one.

´Great, you can see me getting off with Xena then.´ he replied, yawning and scratching his head.

´Yeah, I _can_.´ said Draco, passing the tip of his quill over his chin. ´Doesn´t mean I _will_.´

´Oh you will alright.´ said Zabini with a smirk. Draco couldn´t be bothered to argue back.

´This party is dead. Why do you even bother coming to these things?´ Draco complained. It was Friday evening and they were in Slughorn´s office. It wasn´t decorated as elaborately as it had been before Christmas, but it was still bad enough, in Draco´s opinion. He was slouched with Zabini on one of the many squashy sofas which lined the walls, a drinks table was opposite and in the middle was a clear space to dance to the music that was playing. There were a few people up, most of them younger students just messing about. For Draco there was only one thing that made the party interesting. Ginny. But she had spent most of the evening chatting to Hermione near to the drinks table, and so far Draco had been unable to catch her attention. He wanted to pick on her. Badly.

´I come because Xena is here.´ said Zabini simply.

´Oh right.´ said Draco darkly, glancing in her direction. She was sitting in a corner with her friends. ´I haven´t seen you attempting to snog her yet.´

´Nah, I will in a bit. Besides, ain´t you gonna ask Weasley for a dance? She´s waiting for you, and looking stunning while she´s at it.´ He grinned.

´Don´t start that again.´ Draco snapped. Although Zabini was right. She did look nice. Once again he studied her appearance. She was wearing lilac dress robes, and her hair was up in a ponytail, which she had curled to fall in tendrils down her back. From that distance he couldn´t see her face very well, but he imagined she was wearing makeup too.

´Oh come on. Go and ask her to dance. I dare you to.´

´No!´ said Draco loudly. ´Stop being such a prat!´

´Oh go on. You could lull her into a false sense of security. Make her think you´re over all that revenge stuff now.´

Draco thought for a moment, then decided he was right. ´Fine, but only if you ask Granger to dance too.´ He smirked.

´What?! That´s disgusting!´ said Zabini, scandalized.

´Up to you, but I ain´t asking Weasley if you don´t ask Granger.´

Zabini remained silent for a few minutes, but finally he agreed. Obviously he couldn´t resist seeing Draco with Ginny.

Draco walked over to the drinks table and stood beside Ginny while Zabini went to Hermione. He cleared his throat, making Ginny look around at him. He turned slightly pink. ´Erm, Weasley, come dance with me.´

Ginny stared at him. ´What?´

´You heard, come dance with me!´ Draco repeated, not looking at her.

´What´s brought this on?´ asked Ginny, half amused, half confused.

´It´s a bet with Zabini.´ said Hermione from behind her, looking at both boys in disgust. ´I can tell.´

´Is it?´ said Ginny, looking at Draco.

´Er, yeah, suppose it is.´ Draco answered, blushing a little deeper.

´Alright then!´ said Ginny cheerfully. ´In that case, I will dance with you.´ To Draco´s shock, Ginny thrust her glass into Hermione´s grasp, grabbed his hand and led him to the centre of the dance floor. She then turned to face him. ´Come on then! And how long do you have to dance with me for?´

Draco put his free hand around her waist, feeling uncomfortable, before he answered. ´Just one song I think.´

´Great.´ She rested her free hand on his shoulder, then began to move her feet in time to the music.

Draco did his best to keep up, although he didn´t really care much if he trod on her toes. He could see Zabini laughing over Ginny´s head, and Hermione still wore the same disgusted expression as before. Other than that, nobody seemed to notice. He looked back at Ginny´s face and saw that she was watching him curiously. ´What´s up?´

She shrugged. ´Nothing. I just think you look a bit rough that´s all. Tired and starved almost. I noticed you looked the same before the holidays aswell.´

Draco frowned. ´I´m fine.´

Ginny shrugged again. ´Suit yourself. But perhaps you should take it a bit easier.´

´I told you, I´m fine. Besides, it´s not like people like you to be concerned about people like me.´ said Draco, a little more forcefully. He then let go of Ginny´s waist and twirled her around. ´So tell me, did you miss me in the holidays?´

She put her hand on his shoulder again after the twirl, slightly surprised. ´I dunno. Perhaps a little. What about you? I heard you stayed here over Christmas.´

´Yep. It was as dead as a plank of wood. So, you could say I had a quiet Christmas.´

´Right, but you didn´t answer my other question.´ said Ginny, smirking.

´What was that? Did _I_ miss you?´ He let go of her hand and wrapped both arms around her waist instead, pulling her closer. He smirked too, looking down at her. ´I may have done. Would it mean anything to you if I did?´

Ginny looked even more surprised and frowned slightly, hesitantly placing both her hands on his shoulders. ´Well, that would depend on the reason why you missed me.´

His smirk widened as he felt her body tense against his. ´Many reasons Weasley. The main one being that I´ve had no one to fight with while you´ve been away.´ He threw her away from him and twirled her around again, spinning her so fast that her hair streamed out around her like a halo and she nearly fell over, but he caught her at the last moment, supporting her back and bending down so that his face was close to hers. ´Cause you know that I love to fight with you, and I´ve not forgotten the promise I made you either.´

´Oh, I didn´t think you had somehow. That would be too much to ask.´ She grinned up at him, her arms around his neck.

Draco set her on her feet again and went back to dancing the way they had been before. ´So, after this dance, everything is back to normal, hear me? And no more flirting with me!´ He glanced at Zabini, who was still laughing, and spun Ginny around again.

Ginny put on an innocent face, although a shadow of a smirk still remained. ´Flirting with you? I´ve never done anything of the sort!´

´So you say.´ said Draco, leading her little by little to the other side of the dance floor, where they would be obscured from Zabini and Hermione´s view. He then leaned into her ear and whispered ´But you know that isn´t true.´

Ginny´s smirk returned fully and she wrapped her arms around his neck again, reaching up to whisper into his ear too. Draco felt a blush creeping over him as the scent of her hair reached him again. ´Perhaps it isn´t, but you´re not so innocent either.´

Draco raised an eyebrow and shifted his hand slightly on her waist, feeling her body heat through the material of the dress. ´What´s that supposed to mean?´

´Well, you were the one who started dancing like this. So if you aren´t flirting now, I never have done in the past.´ She bit her bottom lip cheekily.

Draco grinned. ´This is just dancing Weasley. People do it all the time, and it doesn´t always mean they fancy each other. And besides, it´s a dare.´

Ginny pursed her lips slightly in a flirtatious way, looking at him with big dark eyes. ´If you say so Malfoy. I can only take your word for it.´ She fell silent and looked away, watching a few kids doing stupid dance moves. Draco followed her gaze for a moment, long enough to think that they were a bunch of idiots, then he turned his attention back to Ginny. He was right, she was wearing makeup. Her freckles were hidden beneath rouge, making her look older, her lips were pink and full, and her lashes were darker and longer. After a moment, she looked at him again, and she shifted her hand until it was on the back of his neck, the tips of her fingers buried slightly in his hair. Draco felt his body heat up even more at this, and he drew away slightly to avoid the urge to pull her closer, but then to his relief the song came to an end. He let go of her quickly and stepped back, looking away.

´Right then Ginny – I mean Weasley – we´ve reached the end of our little dance. Very interesting. I would thank you for helping me win this little dare, but, you know me, I´m not that type.´ He forced a laugh at his own joke as he began to walk away, and he realized that Ginny was smiling. He quickly looked away and returned to the sofa where Zabini was waiting for him.

´Have fun? Get a little kissing done while you were hiding out of sight did you?´ He sniggered.

´No.´ said Draco, grabbing his drink as he saw Ginny return to Hermione´s side out of the corner of his eye. ´It was just dancing, like it was meant to be.´

´Didn´t look like that to me. And you´re all red.´ He grinned again.

´Am I?´ Draco touched his cheek and realized that his skin was flaming hot. ´Oh, it´s a bit warm in here.´

´Yeah right. That´s blushing. It gives you away big time. You ain´t gonna get very far with her if you´re shy all the time. Watch, and learn.´ Smirking, Zabini drained his glass, dumped it on the table next to him, and got to his feet.

´Where are you going?´ said Draco, but Zabini ignored him and made his way over to Xena Murdock. Draco watched him as he stopped in front of her, cockiness in his every move. She looked up at him, her eyebrows arched expectantly. Zabini said something, but Draco couldn´t catch what it was over the music.

´What _is _he doing?´ said a voice next to him. Draco jumped and looked round to see that Ginny had just sat down beside him, and Hermione was hovering slightly nearby, looking disgruntled.

´Oh it´s you again.´ Draco frowned and looked back at Zabini. ´The stupid git is trying to ask her out.´

´What, Murdock?´ Ginny wrinkled her nose slightly in dislike.

´Yeah, well, who wouldn´t?´ said Draco, glancing at her only to catch her reaction. Ginny didn´t reply, only took a swig of her drink with a slight frown on her face.

They both watched in silence as the conversation between Zabini and Xena went on, the frown on Xena´s face deepening more and more each moment. Her friends seemed to be smothering laughter. Next moment, Xena´s voice came floating over to them as she raised it. ´Can´t you just leave me alone? I´m sick of the way you keep stalking me. I´m not interested, OK?´

Draco and Ginny burst out laughing at the look of rejection on Zabini´s face. After mouthing wordlessly for a moment, he turned and came back over to them, stopping in front of Draco with fury on his face. Draco was still laughing, but he finally managed to catch his breath. ´Right, are you going to tell me what I´m supposed to learn from_ that_?´

Zabini continued to watch him for a few seconds, then snorted and stormed out of the room. They started laughing again. ´Did you see his face!´ said Draco, wiping tears from his eyes.

Ginny nodded, holding her ribs as she shook with laughter, and even Hermione had joined in. When the laughter had died down, however, the tension Draco had felt before at Ginny´s presence returned to him again, and he felt he needed to get out of there quickly. He stood up and turned to the two girls. ´Right, I´m gonna go too. This party is boring. See you around.´

´Sure. Bye Malfoy.´ Ginny replied as he walked away, taking another drink. Draco looked back as he reached the door and their eyes met once more, but he quickly turned away and left, afraid of the effect those eyes had on him.

**Hope you liked this chappie, I had fun writing it P. And yes, I know I made the party thing up, but as you can see it was necessary, so I hope you don´t mind S.**


	7. Fast As Flames

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Fast as Flames**

´Your bird is waiting out here Malf.´ came Nott´s voice from the dormitory doorway the following morning.

Draco rolled over in his bed and faced the other way. ´Tell her to go away. And she´s not my bird!´

There was muffled talking for a moment, then Nott spoke again. ´She says she really needs to see you. It´s "_important"._´

´Tell her it can wait till later!´ said Draco, getting annoyed.

There was more talking, then ´She says that you both _really_ need to talk, and that it´s _private _and that it _can´t _wait till later.´ said Nott, emphasizing the words sarcastically with a girlish voice.

´Oh for the love of Merlin!´ snapped Draco, sitting up in his bed and tearing his hangings open to see Nott. ´Tell her to get her ass in here quick then, I´ll give her five minutes!´

Nott put his head around the doorway again, and seconds later Pansy Parkinson came barging through the doorway and plonked herself down on the edge of Draco´s bed. Draco waited until Nott had left and closed the door behind him before he spoke, not looking at Pansy. ´What?´

´Blaise told me what happened last night.´ she said in a dramatically hurt voice.

´Yeah, and why should that make you come bothering me early on a Saturday morning, when you know full well that I have a lie-in? What has Blaise´s failure of a love life got to do with me?´

´I´m not talking about Blaise´s love life, I´m talking about your affair with that whore, Ginny Weasley.´ she announced, looking at him.

Draco yawned. ´Whatever Blaise said about me and Ginny Weasley is a big fat lie.´

Pansy raised an eyebrow. ´Oh, so you weren´t dancing with her real close, or talking and laughing, or dragging her out of sight and kissing then?´

´Look Parkinson, yes, I was dancing with her, but no, it wasn´t _real close._ Yes, I was talking and laughing with her, but no, I wasn´t having much fun with her at all. And yes, we did drift out of sight at some point, but no, we certainly were _not_ kissing. And last of all, it is really none of your business what I do with other girls, cause you and me aren´t even together, like you keep going on about. I am _not _your _Drakey Poo_, and you are _not_ my _Pansy Puff_. Got that?´ That said, he turned his back on her again.

There was silence for a moment, then she started to speak in a voice that threatened tears. ´But- but I thought-´

´Well you thought wrong Parkinson. I may have played along in the past, but I´m sixteen now.´ He glanced at her. ´Do you really think I´d still want a girl like you at my age?´

´But- but- you... what do you mean, a girl like me?!´ she shouted, her face red and her eyes glistening.

´What do I mean? Go and look in the mirror, take a look at your awful behavior, ask other guys what they think of you. Then you´ll know what I mean.´ He looked up at the canopy above his bed, waiting impatiently for her to go. She stood up, then next thing he received a huge wallop on the side of his head. ´OY!!! What was that for, you stupid cow?!´ But she had already stormed out of the dormitory, slamming the door behind her. Draco slumped back on his pillows and rubbed his face where she had hit him, feeling it hot from the redness. He attempted to go back to sleep, but after ten minutes he gave up and got out of bed. Grumbling, he began to pull on his clothes, thinking he may aswell try making some progress in the Room of Requirement before pointless Quidditch practice that afternoon.

Half an hour later he emerged from the dungeons, passed the Great Hall, the smell of breakfast not awakening his appetite in the least, then began the endless walk up the many flights of marble staircase, passing groups of students on their way down to breakfast as he went. Some of the younger ones just shrank out of his way, knowing him as a bully, and some older ones gave him looks of great dislike. Then there were some who ignored him completely. He passed Hermione and Harry on the fifth floor, Hermione looking like his actions with Ginny the night before were still fresh in her mind, and Harry staring at him suspiciously. Draco just smirked the way he usually did and continued on his way.

His mood dropped as soon as he entered the Room. The place was becoming a symbol of great despair and misery, the stuffy air and gloomy towers of damaged objects making him feel oppressed. Which, after all, he supposed he was. He came to the place where the cabinet was and opened it, glancing inside, then he began yet another session of fruitless attempts at repairing it. After three hours, his frustration running high, he stepped back from it, pulled open the doors, and began to pelt random objects through it, which just disappeared into thin air at the back of the cabinet. He began to shout curses at it in his fury, swearing like a mad man and kicking and hammering the sides of it. He finally collapsed on the floor and began to sob, real tears poring down his face. Eventually he scrubbed his eyes dry and went to the bathroom on the floor below to wash his face before lunch and practice.

´I think you and Weasley would make _such _a great couple. You could be like the school´s Romeo and Juliet. Awwww, so sweet.´ Zabini was teasing a week later as he accompanied Draco through the corridors on his patrols.

´Oh sure, then we´d both end up dead.´ snapped Draco irritably.

´Yeah, that´d do the whole world a favor. And anyway, you must be pretty romantic if you know the story of Romeo and Juliet.´

´Will you just shut up already? Besides, it wasn´t me who got turned down by Xena Murdock at that party.´ He leered. ´Could have fried an egg on your face.´

´Oh, don´t start that again. And it´s not over yet. I´ll get hold of her.´ said Zabini.

´So you say Blaise, so you say.´ said Draco boredly. ´But I´m afraid that with you it´s all talk and no play.´

´Oh yeah? Well it´s nothing but play with you and Weasley. It seems like she´s the only source of fun for you these days.´ He smirked.

´Yeah, well, she is. I´ve always had fun picking on the weaker and less able.´ They turned a corner to see a pair of second years hanging around near a suit of armour and talking animatedly, and a grin spread across Draco´s face. ´As I was saying...´ He took his wand out of his pocket and pointed it at one of the students. ´Oy! Get to your Common Room now, you filthy, titchy, stinking little scum! Go on! _Flipendo!_´ The Knock-Back Jinx hit one of them in the small of the back and she screamed and ran away, her friend at her tail. Draco sent a few more after them until they had disappeared from sight, then turned to join Zabini laughing.

´Nice one Draco! You scared the crap out of them!´ said Zabini, leaning on the wall for support while he laughed his head off.

´I know. Ain´t I just great!´ replied Draco, pocketing his wand.

´I don´t think you´re great Malfoy.´ said a voice behind them. They both spun around to see Ginny standing in the middle of the corridor, her arms crossed and a look of pure fury upon her face.

´Oh, not you again Weasley!´ snarled Draco, taking out his wand again. ´Don´t you ever tire of following me around?´

´You´re a prefect Malfoy. You´re supposed to end trouble like this. Not cause it.´

´Who cares, Weasley? No one has the guts to tell.´ said Draco loftily, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

´I do.´ said Ginny smirking, her eyes narrowed threateningly. ´And I can´t imagine McGonagall would be too pleased to hear about you picking on little ones when you´re supposed to be on prefect duties.´

´You wouldn´t dare!´ said Draco angrily.

´Of course I would. Give me one good reason not to.´ she answered.

´The fact that I will beat you to a pulp should be good enough reason not to.´

Ginny laughed. ´Let´s see Malfoy. How many times have you _tried_ to beat me to a pulp?´

Zabini laughed at this too. Draco looked around, startled, having forgotten that he was there. ´You´re supposed to be on my side, you twat.´ Draco muttered to him.

´Oh no Drakey Poo, I´m only watching you make a fool out of yourself.´ he said.

Draco just scowled and turned back to Ginny. ´You know I´ll get you in the end. You can´t win all the time.´

´Why don´t you try and get me now, Malfoy, before I get to McGonagall´s office?´ She gave a shout of laughter which was left floating in the air, then turned tail and ran back the way she had come, her red hair flying out behind her like the ribbons of a kite. ´Catch me if you can!´

´What the – she´s not really going to tell McGonagall is she?´ said Draco, staring after her.

´You´d better make sure she doesn´t then, hadn´t you!´ said Zabini, suppressing more laughter with great difficulty.

´Yeah...´ And before he knew it, Draco was tearing after her. She disappeared around a corner and he sped up a little, but when he reached it she wasn´t there. He ran to the end of the corridor, skidding to a halt between two turns. He had no idea which way she would have gone, as both corridors led away from McGonagall´s office.

´This isn´t funny Weasley!´ he bellowed, his voice echoing loudly through both corridors.

´Yes it is Malfoy!´ came Ginny´s voice from behind him. He whipped around to see her emerge from behind a statue half way along the corridor down which he had just run and go back the other way.

´You little brat, Weasley!´ he shouted, renewing his chase. He followed her through two corridors, then saw her almost fly down the stairs up ahead, jump the last five steps, and continue along the floor below. He dived down after her and saw her collide with a group of students which slowed her down slightly. ´Move!´ he snarled at the students as he drew nearer, and they all shifted to the side giving him chance to catch up with her. Her lurched forward and grabbed at her hair, but it flowed through his fingers before he had chance to close them properly.

´You can´t get me!´ Ginny cackled, picking even more speed and making Draco wonder where the hell she got her energy from. She dived sideways into another corridor, and Draco, panting loudly, followed her. But instead of seeing her running ahead of him like he expected, the corridor was deserted.

´What the -?´ he gasped, stopping dead and staring around. He scanned the corridor while he caught his breath, then walked forward, checking behind every statue and suit of armor as he went. Completely baffled by the fact that he couldn´t find her anywhere, he began to run again, heading for McGonagall´s office.

He ran down one flight of steps, along a few more corridors, passing yet more students and a ghost who shouted something at him, then down another staircase. But four steps from the bottom he felt something catch his foot and he went flying through the air. He crashed to the floor, having the wind knocked out of him and feeling pain shoot through his wrists as he had thrown his arms out in front of him to break his fall. He moaned loudly from the pain and clutched his chest, wheezing. ´_Anapneo!_´ he gasped, sitting up and pointing his wand at his throat. His breathing eased immediately, but the pain in his wrists was still bad. Suddenly he saw Ginny hurrying towards him, a worried look on her face.

´Get away from me you crazy bitch!´ shouted Draco, clutching one of his wrists and scrambling to his feet as she drew nearer. ´You just used the Trip Jinx on me didn´t you, you stupid cow!´

´Yes, I did.´ said Ginny in a small voice. ´But it was supposed to be a joke.´

´Oh really funny joke Weasley!´ Draco spat. ´Especially since I nearly broke my neck! And anyway, how did you get then here so quickly?´

´I took a shortcut through that tapestry. Didn´t you know about it?´

´No.´ he snapped, slowly twisting his wrist around to try it. ´Oow! This is killing me!´

´Here, let me see.´ said Ginny, stepping forward.

´No!´ he shouted, shoving her hard and knocking her to the floor.

She glared at him, then got up again. ´I was only trying to help! Especially since it's my fault!´

´I don´t need your help.´ he replied nastily. ´You´ve done enough damage as it is. Now get out of my sight.´ With that, he shoved past her and went in the direction of the hospital wing, not stopping to look back once.

**Sorry if this chap ain´t so good. I´m running out of ideas! I hope the following ones are more to your taste, especially the ending chapter of part two!**


	8. Green Envy

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Green Envy**

´That bloke sucks at teaching.´ Nott complained, as the Slytherin 6th years left the Great Hall together after yet another unsuccessful Apparition lesson.

´Yeah, bigtime.´ replied Zabini. ´Don´t he Draco?´

´Huh?... Oh yeah.´ said Draco, having been lost in thought.

´Sup with you Malf?´ asked Nott, looking at him curiously. ´Not like you to be so quiet.´

´He´s in lurve.´ sniggered Zabini, poking Draco between the ribs.

Draco shoved him back. ´Can´t you give us a break Blaise? I´m getting sick of this.´

´If you go out with her, will you let her turn you into one of Dumbledore´s freaks?´ said Zabini, dropping his voice a little.

´You are out of your mind!´ said Draco in disgust. ´_Nobody_ could turn me into one of his freaks!´

Zabini grinned. ´Well I sure hope not Draco, cause it´ll be "off with his head!!!"´

Draco shook his head. ´_You _are the one who is a freak here.´

Nott laughed, along with some of the others. ´Yeah, I´ll agree with that Malf!´

´Oh ha ha.´ said Zabini sarcastically as they entered the Slytherin Common Room. They all went over to the front of the room by the fire, shoving a group of younger students out of the better chairs so as to sit in them themselves. Then suddenly, Zabini´s face went white as he looked over to a far corner of the room.

´What´s up with you?´ asked Draco, as he and Nott looked around to see what he was staring at. It was soon made clear as they spotted Xena Murdock sitting with Urquhart, the Slytherin Quidditch captain, in the same armchair, their arms around each other and kissing madly. As soon as Draco realised what this meant, he burst into raucous laughter, soon followed by a few others who knew what Zabini was feeling like at that moment.

´Ha! Now whatta you gonna do Blaise? You´ve lost ya girl!´ said Draco through his laughter. He rubbed his hands. ´Five big fat Galleons coming my way!´

Zabini was turning redder and redder in his chair with each passing second, his fists curling up into punches ready to swing. Everyone watched him as he kept looking at Xena and Urquhart, then he took a few deep breaths and looked at Draco. ´It´s not over yet Malfoy. This doesn´t mean I can´t talk her around.´

´Yes it does! Urquhart will rip you to pieces if you try to steal his girlfriend from him!´ said Nott. Draco sat smirking at Zabini

´I´ll find a way! It can´t be that difficult!´ said Zabini indignantly.

´Yeah, especially as she keeps turning you down and seeing you as a creepy little bug.´ said Draco smugly.

Zabini scowled and jumped up, then stormed off to his dormitory. Draco did a high five with Nott, then slumped back in his chair and presently went back to staring into space, until he was dragged outside to the Quidditch pitch by his team mates for practice later that afternoon.

As he and the Slytherins walked down to the pitch, they passed Ginny and Casey on the way. Draco saw Casey nudge Ginny, and she glanced around, but when she saw Draco she scowled and looked away. Draco remembered the chase, which had happened a few weeks before. That had been the last time he´d spoken to her, and since then he had felt hate boiling inside him each time he had set eyes on her. He was getting seriously bored of Zabini´s continued teasing, and was beginning to wonder if he would ever drop it. He was, however, hoping for another fight with her, feeling the tension building up inside him each time he thought about her. He was frustrated at her constant victories, and longed to show her who was boss.

Draco walked through the empty, sunlit corridors, feeling the spring warmth streaming through the windows. Anger and confusion and fear crowded his mind, and he didn´t think it could get any worse. He was failing his lessons, the mission was going badly, and Ginny Weasley was doing his head in, as usual. He never thought he´d be able to hate anyone more than he hated Harry Potter before. But then, did he really hate Ginny? That was something he was about to find out, as he turned the corner into the equally sunny seventh floor corridor, but, this time, it wasn´t empty.

Ginny was sitting on a windowsill, the sunlight making her hair glow like fire, but she wasn´t alone. She was in the arms of none other than Blaise Zabini, and, to Draco´s horror, he was kissing her passionately.

´Oi!´ he shouted, before he could stop himself.

Zabini and Ginny broke apart and looked around. Ginny looked annoyed and a little embarrassed when she saw Draco, but Zabini, on the other hand, looked amused.

´What?´ he asked, shifting his hand slightly on Ginny´s waist.

´_What?_ What the hell do you think you´re doing is _what_!´ shouted Draco, feeling angry, though he wasn´t sure why.

´What the hell do I think I´m doing? Well I think I was just having a private snog with this gorgeous girl here, if I´m not mistaken.´ said Zabini sarcastically, although gloat and smugness was written all over his face.

´But... but...´ stuttered Draco, not sure what to say.

´But what Malfoy? You jealous or summat? Jealous that I got to her first? Jealous that she wants to kiss me instead of kick my ass?´ laughed Zabini.

´Eurgh, no!´ said Draco a little too quickly, putting on a disgusted face and trying his best not to look at Ginny. ´Don´t you realise what you´ve just had your tongue all over? She´s blood traitor filth Zabini, not girlfriend material! How could you fall so low?´

Blaise just laughed again. ´There´s nothing wrong with that Malfoy. We were just bored, so we decided to try something new. It means nothing, does it girl?´ he looked at Ginny and gently pushed a strand of hair off her face, falseness in his every move.

Ginny smirked and spoke back to him, still looking at Draco. ´No Blaise, it means nothing at all. And anyway, I should be going now. See you around.´ Giving Zabini one last, long kiss, she stood up and walked away, throwing Draco a sarcastic glance as she went.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Zabini stood up and walked up to Draco. ´I knew it Malfoy. You can´t bear to see your little Weasley with me, can you? You want her for yourself, don´t you?´ He smirked and watched Draco´s face for a reaction.

´You disgust me Zabini. How could you think I´d wanna do what you were just doing?´ spat Draco.

´You know I only did that to see your face though, don´t you? I knew you´d be around here some time today, Crabbe and Goyle say you always are, so I staged it. It wasn´t difficult to persuade Weasley, she can´t resist my charms.´ said Zabini smugly. ´And it´s obvious that you´re jealous Malfoy. The way you looked when you saw us! Don´t worry, I´ll tell everyone that their favourite Death Eater has a crush on one of the biggest enemies. And don´t worry about Weasley either, you can have her all to yourself if you want her. I won´t be going near her again. Although she is good at kissing you know.´ He winked after the last sentence.

´Tell anyone that lie, and you´ll pay Zabini.´ seethed Draco, balling his hands into fists.

´I´ll pay will I? Haha, what´re you gonna do, fancy me too?´ He laughed.

´No, something waaaay better.´ said Draco, and, without warning, he threw a punch at Zabini, wiping the stupid grin straight off his face.

´What the hell-?!´ shouted Zabini, stumbling backwards. After spitting blood out of his mouth, he leaped forward again and hit Draco back in the stomach. Winded from the punch, Draco pulled out his wand and thought _Levicorpus_, and next second Zabini was dangling by his ankle.

´Let me down Malfoy!´ shouted Zabini, swiping out at Draco with his fists.

´Let you down?´ asked Draco, standing out of Zabini´s reach. ´What, so you can hit me again? Hell no. I´ll only let you down if you swear not to tell that pathetic little lie that you´ve dreamed up.´

´Yeah, fine, I swear, but that still doesn´t mean that it´s a lie. You know you fancy her Malfoy. You pretend it´s all hatred, but it isn´t. All this about trying to get revenge, it´s just a pathetic little excuse to be near her, to get her attention. So you might as well pay up those five Galleons now.´

Draco flicked his wand, setting Zabini loose, but continued to point it at him. ´Ah ah, you´ve forgotten the other part of the bet. You´ve still gotta get hold of Xena Murdock, if and when you can get around Urquhart. I ain´t paying up ´till I´ve seen you kissing her. And there´s no way I´m giving up breaking Weasley anyway. Mark my words.´

He began to walk off, leaving Zabini to brush off his robes. ´Whatever Malfoy.´ he called after him. ´Maybe if you kept a better hold on your wand you´d get somewhere.´

Draco ignored him, and just entered the boy´s bathroom around the corner. When he emerged, Zabini was nowhere in sight, so he went into the Room of Requirement, his head spinning with even more confusing thoughts.

What disturbed him most was the fact that he actually had been jealous when he´d seen them kissing. He wasn´t sure why, but he had felt his stomach plummet when he had seen Ginny in Zabini´s arms, kissing him and caressing his hair and face the way he had seen her do to her old boyfriends. He knew it wasn´t real, that it meant nothing, like they had said, but that didn´t stop him from wishing it had been him on that windowsill with her...

_Oh shutup Draco. _He scolded himself furiously. _How can you think you fancy _her_? It´s madness. It´s just Zabini sticking ideas into your head. Ignore it... Besides, you´ve got more pressing matters to worry about..._

Trying his best to clear his mind, he faced the black cabinet and set to work, not leaving the place until dinner time that evening.

**Surprise you did I? LOL. Right, I hope you liked this, and it shouldn't be long till I update again, seeing as it's the summer hols now. Two more chapters before I reach my first goal! After that I can't say exactly when I'll be updating, because I haven't got that part planned out very well, even though I do know what I want to work up to. Thanks again for reading so far. It means a lot!**


	9. Double Trouble

**It´s getting gooood, if I may say so myself, lol. Chapter 10 is deffo my fave so far, so read this one quick! LOL**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Double Trouble**

The atmosphere between Draco and Zabini was extremely cold over the next few weeks. Despite the decrease in Zabini´s taunts, Draco´s hostility towards him had never been more open, causing a certain amount of Slytherins to begin taking sides. They had both always been popular boys, and normally good mates, which caused a good amount of interest as to why they suddenly seemed to hate each other. But they both kept their mouths shut to the many curious (and in their opinion nosy) questions asked by their fellow students.

Other than that, Draco once again had the professors on his trail, suspecting him as Ron Weasley´s poisoner, which, indirectly and accidentally, he was. It was an excuse to spend less time in the Room of Requirement, but the pressure of the Dark Lord´s impatience was weighing heavily on his shoulders.

As for Ginny, he found himself blushing deeply and doing his best to avoid her each time he ran into her, worried she might suspect him of fancying her after the mess he had made of hiding his feelings when he had walked in on her and Zabini. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, he knew he had seemed jealous when he had seen them together. He just had to find a good excuse to have a fight with her again, in an attempt to lead her in the opposite direction.

And to have that fight, he waited for the soonest possible opportunity...

´Leave that first year alone Malfoy!´ Bellowed Ginny´s voice as she came striding angrily down the staircase.

´Piss off Weasley!´ Draco shouted back rudely, cackling and using the Pinching Curse on the small Hufflepuff boy again, whom he had magically glued to the wall. The child yelled loudly in pain again.

´How could you be so cruel?´ said Ginny, taking out her wand as she drew closer, her face contorted in rage. ´You´re hurting him!´

´I know I am Weasley.´ Draco drawled. ´That´s the whole point.´

Ginny let out a frustrated noise, before sending a curse at Draco which hit him on the side of the face, making him stumble sideways and promising to leave a bruise. Angrily, he turned and used the Pinching Curse on her instead. She flinched, but recovered quickly and flew at him, grabbing the front of his robes and slamming him against the wall.

´Oy, hold it there lady!´ said Draco, annoyed as he shoved her back. He then laughed. ´I know I´m irresistible but _please_ spare me the discomfort.´

Ginny scowled in disgust and snorted. ´Yeah, and carry on talking like that and I´ll vomit all over your shoes.´ She turned away from Draco and went to the boy, unsticking him from the wall and allowing him to run away hastily. Draco slouched against the wall with his arms crossed, watching them. As soon as the boy was out of sight, Ginny turned back to him, her face shadowed with hatred.

´Oooh, you really do scare me with those evils Weasley.´ said Draco sarcastically, uncrossing his arms and standing up straight to face her. ´Perhaps I could return the fear factor?´

He pointed his wand at the floor and drew a ring of fire around them, closing her in with him. The flames were only weak, as he had only recently learned to do it, but all the same they prevented her from running away. ´I apologize, but I´m sooo not in the mood for chasing you around the bloody castle again.´

Ginny looked at him as though he was lame. ´_Really _impressive Malfoy. Perhaps you could scare me a little bit more. I´m not five years old you know.´

´Yeah, perhaps.´ he repeated, pointing his wand at the flames again. He grinned maliciously at Ginny, then made them begin edging towards the hem of her robes.

´Going to burn me to death now are we?´ she said, still acting casual, crossing her own arms across her chest.

´I might do. Depends how loudly you scream.´ He looked into her eyes as the flames licked at the floor inches away from her feet, smirking.

Ginny faked a yawn and smirked back. ´Draco, tell me. What are wands for?´

´For jinxing your ass off, what else?´ he joked, taking a step towards her. He then flicked his wand, and the flames sprang to the material at the bottom of Ginny´s robes. She gasped loudly and jumped back into the wall of fire, then screamed as she realized what she´d done. But then she realized that the flames didn´t burn and turned to Draco angrily.

´Very funny Malfoy!´ she spat, advancing on him as the false fire crept up her body, causing her to feel like she had been submerged in warm water. ´_Really _nice trick!´

´Yeah, isn´t it brilliant!´ Draco laughed hoarsely. He allowed the flames to die quickly as they no longer had any use.

Ginny stopped right in front of him, her face inches from his, and dropped her voice to a deadly whisper. ´But why don´t you use a good curse on me instead, or don´t you know any?´

´Ooh, I know a few good curses Weasley. But I can´t go using them now can I? I´ll get chucked out.´ He sneered.

´I _dare_ you to use one.´ she challenged, her eyes narrowed and her chin stuck out defiantly. ´Go on, I dare you.´

´I don´t need to Weasley. You´ll die one day soon anyway.´ He turned and began to walk away, knowing that she would stop him. But next second he felt his throat tighten and he struggled to breathe. Ginny walked round in front of him, her wand pointed at his neck.

´Come on now Malfoy. You told me time and time again that you were sick of me beating you. But it´s no wonder you´re such a loser when you don´t fight back properly.´ She dropped her voice again and added ´The son of a Death Eater would surely have a few nasty spells up his sleeve.´

Suddenly Draco flipped. Her shoved Ginny roughly to the side, ending the curse she had put on him so he could breathe properly again. He then hurled her to the floor. ´Crucio!´

The sounds of her screams suddenly filled his ears, but he lifted his wand after only a few seconds and looked down at her. ´You ever felt the Cruciatus Curse before now Weasley?´

Ginny remained silent and said nothing, only stared up at him with liquid brown eyes, full of anger and hatred. So Draco carried on ´Cause I have, and believe me, I got a lot worse than what you just had... So come on then, hit me back with it. Give me your best shot.´

Ginny remained where she was for a moment, half lying on the floor, then suddenly she got up and lunged at him, knocking him against the wall. He pushed her back across the corridor, but next thing she stumbled backwards and, still holding the front of Draco´s robes, she went smashing through the stained glass of a window behind her. Draco just about managed to grab the window frame in time, and found himself almost half way out the window with Ginny hanging onto his robes, the ground way below her. Ginny screeched as she struggled to regain her balance, the wind blowing her hair into dancing flames, just like the ones Draco had used to scare her moments before.

´Malfoy! Pull me back in!´ she screamed. ´Pull me back in!´

Draco was struggling too. His robes were tearing with her weight, and the sharp edges of some of the remaining glass were cutting into the palm of his hands. ´Let go of me!´ he said, feeling dizzy from the height.

´I´ll fall, you idiot!´ she screamed, squirming to try to get back inside. ´Pull me back in!´

Draco hesitated for a moment, staring at her face. He then felt his robes ripping again so he quickly shifted one of his hands for a better grip and placed his other arm around Ginny´s back, then pulled her in. As soon as they were both safely inside he slouched against the wall again, breathing deeply from the fright and nursing his bleeding hands. But Ginny soon recovered, and instead of thanking him for saving her life, she instead began to shout.

´You idiot! Were you trying to kill me, throwing me through that window like that?! I know you hate me, but come on Malfoy!´

´Oh, will you shut up! I just stopped you from falling, and believe me, if my own life hadn´t been in danger, I wouldn´t have bothered. So just be grateful for once in your miserable life.´

´I am grateful! A lot more than you´ll ever be, you spoiled little brat!´

´Spoiled little brat am I? Yeah, I suppose it would seem so to you, seeing as you come from a family of tramps!´

´At least we don´t go around murdering people for fun!´ Ginny screamed, before punching him hard on the side of the face, opposite the bruise she had given him before with her jinx. Draco was momentarily surprised at the force coming from such a petite girl, but it didn´t take long for him to punch her back. Somehow they ended up dragging each other to the floor, engaged in some sort of wrestling match, their wands forgotten about several feet away. It wasn´t until a stern voice was heard above them that they came to a halt.

´Malfoy! Weasley! What on earth is the meaning of this?!´ They both looked up in dread to see that Professor McGonagall towered high above them. Quickly they let go of each other and jumped to their feet, cowering beneath the teacher´s beady eye.

´Muggle duelling, in the middle of a corridor? And a window smashed?´ She glanced at the half empty frame. ´And worse still, a boy and a girl? I am extremely disgusted! Such behaviour is certainly not acceptable in this school!

Ginny spoke first. ´But he started it Professor! I was only stopping him from bullying a first year!´

´As if! I was telling him off ´cause he was about to graffiti on that painting!´ Draco lied.

´He wasn´t, he was bullying him! And he´s been bullying me for months!´

´I have _not_! She´s the one who randomly jinxes me for no reason at all from time to time-!´

´He started it! He ganged up on me with a load of Slytherin cronies-!´

´_I_ started it? _You_ were the one who made my nose swell to the size of-´

´Enough!´ said Professor McGonagall loudly. ´I don´t care who started it, you were _both_ caught fighting, and you were _both_ caught at the scene of severe vandalism, so you will _both_ be punished, is that clear? You will have twenty points taken from both Slytherin and Gryffindor, and detention every night for two weeks, until you can learn to act civilized in each other´s company! Now get out of my sight so I can clear this up, and decide what your detention will be! And if I hear of you two fighting again, woe betide the pair of you!´

Draco and Ginny both turned without another word, only pausing to pick up their wands, and then stormed out of the corridor side by side. Draco was angry because detention would take up the time he could spend in the Room of Requirement, and he couldn´t imagine Ginny would be too happy about losing study time for her coming OWLs. He cared little about her problems, however. It was her fault, after all.

´Why are you following me?´ said Ginny savagely after they had gone up several floors together. Draco suddenly realized that he had been on auto-pilot up to the seventh floor.

´I am _not_ following you.´ he replied, just as nastily. ´I have business up here.´

´What sort of business?´ she asked curiously, furrowing her brow.

´Like it really concerns you.´ snapped Draco in annoyance. He then walked off, leaving Ginny to continue her journey to Gryffindor Tower alone.

The following evening Draco and Ginny had to make their way to the library for their detention. It consisted in putting row after row of books back into alphabetical order, due to students often swapping them around, and supervised by Filch and Madam Pince dropping by every half hour. They found it extremely dull work, and they spent most of the time in complete silence, glancing up every so often to give each other a venomous look, as if to say "it´s your fault I´m here". It was almost midnight when Draco decided his boredom had reached its limits, and he abandoned his bookshelf to go and annoy Ginny.

´"Porlocks" come after "parrots" in the dictionary Weasley, or don´t you know the alphabet?´

Ginny let out a snort of annoyance as she swapped the books around, and scowled at Draco. He shrugged and leaned against the shelves. ´I was only trying to help.´

´You wanted a reason to take the piss out of me, more like.´ said Ginny, angrily swapping around a few more books.

´Perhaps.´ he grinned momentarily, then fell silent, watching her. He suddenly noticed a blush creep up her neck and her movements become clumsy, and he grinned to himself again, thinking he must make her nervous. ´Must be pretty annoying for old "Pincy" and "Filth" to have to come in and check on us so often.´ he said casually.

´Yeah...´ said Ginny distractedly, looking for a book she seemed to have mislaid.

´D´you reckon they go in her office and give each other a little love to keep them from getting bored throughout these long hours?´ said Draco, sniggering.

Ginny threw Draco a disgusted look before continuing on with her chore. ´You have a dirty mind Malfoy.´

He stood there guffawing for a moment. ´I know I do, hahaha!´

Ginny ignored him while he continued to laugh for some time, until she moved along the shelf and bumped against him slightly. ´You´re in my way Malfoy. Can´t you go and get on with your own job and leave me in peace?´

´But I´m bored.´ he whined, moving over a little to give her space.

´Well so am I, but that doesn´t mean you can come and annoy me with dirty jokes.´

´OK, but don´t you think there´s summat going on between them though? Everyone else does.´ He smirked.

´I really don´t care Malfoy. Yes, I suppose they´re well suited, but really, pointless gossip is the least of my problems.´

´Fine Weasley. I was only having a bit of fun. But if you wanna be a saddo then go right ahead. Don´t let me stop you.´

Ginny gave him a disdainful look as he sidled back over to his own shelf, and exhaled loudly. Half an hour later, however, Madam Pince came back, telling them they were dismissed.


	10. Crossing the Frontier

**YES! Finally, this chapter!!! Oh YAY! Dances around and does the Conga, lol I wrote this one aaaaages ago, cause I had the idea from the start, and finally I bridged up to it so I can post!!! YES, YES, YES! Imitates the Herbal Essence commercial. I really, really, really hope you guys like this one, and you´ve sooo gotta review for me! Please please please! But anyway, even if you don´t review, I am truly grateful if you have read so far. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but this chapter is so minnnnnnnnne!!!! Muahahaha.**

**Crossing the Frontier**

They left the room in silence, not wanting to speak to each other. The corridors were quiet, which wasn´t surprising seeing as it was after midnight. All they could hear was their own footsteps. Finally, when they reached the end of the corridor, Ginny broke the silence.

´Well, it wasn´t as bad as I expected it to be.´

´No. The only let down was having to work with you.´ Draco muttered, not wanting to raise his voice in the stillness.

´Yeah, same here.´ Ginny replied, scowling. ´It disgusts me having to look at your face so often.´

´Yeah right. You love to look at my face. You can´t resist me.´ said Draco, smirking.´That´s why you kissed me that time when I was body bound, and flirted with me so badly all those times.´

Ginny made a disgusted face. ´Have you lost our mind? As if I would want to look at you! And besides, I only kissed you cause it was hilarious to watch you squirm. It was as unpleasant for me as it was for you.´

Draco´s grin grew wider. ´You can deny all you like Weasley, but I know you´ll fall at my feet in the end.´

´Ugh, get over yourself. I wouldn´t touch you again if you were the last man on earth.´

´You wouldn´t be able to anyway, cause all the other women would get to me first.´ Draco scoffed.

´Yeah, and I hope they squish you in the process.´ said Ginny.

Draco smirked again, enjoying the fact that he was getting to her. Back to his game of getting her guard down. But then he remembered Zabini´s teasing and he immediately changed his attitude. ´Besides, even if you couldn´t resist me, I wouldn´t let you near me. Not in a million years. Filthy blood traitor.´

´Hmm, I was wondering when you´d start acting yourself again. I was getting a bit worried about your sudden creepiness.´ Ginny replied sarcastically.

Draco narrowed his eyes. ´You just can´t get over yourself can you? You think you´re so wonderful, but you´re not. You´re just a common little whore.´

Ginny stopped walking and turned to face him. ´Really? And what facts did you gather together to come to that conclusion?´

´Everything.´ said Draco, stopping to look at her too. ´You´ve had more guys on the go these past few years than Goyle has had Ts on his homework. You´re like a veela, just catching men and then chucking them aside when you get bored, breaking them into little pieces and then leaving them to rot. Tell me, have you had Precious Potter between your claws yet?´

Ginny glared at him in silence for a moment, growing angry. ´Harry and I are friends, and anything that might be going on between us is none of your business anyway. Besides, Harry´s last girlfriend happened to be Cho Chang, not me, in case you hadn´t noticed.´

´Yeah, she´s another one.´ spat Draco, dislike lining his face. ´Filthy little man eater.´

´Bet you don´t speak about Slytherin tarts like that though, do you?´ said Ginny viciously, advancing on him.

´That´s because in Slytherin there aren´t any tarts.´ announced Draco.

´Oh yeah? What the hell is Xena Murdock then, if not a tart? Yeah, bet you drool all over her, don´t you?´

´You´re just jealous, cause you want what she´s got.´ said Draco, crossing his arms over his chest as he felt her come closer. He began to ease his wand out from up his sleeve.

´She´s got nothing that I want, buster.´ Ginny whispered furiously. Next thing Draco knew, Ginny was jabbing her own wand into his chin.

´Get out of it Weasley!´ snapped Draco angrily, knocking her wand aside and pulling out his own at the same time. To his delight, Ginny´s wand went clattering to the floor several feet away. He grinned, watching Ginny´s face as he pointed his own wand at her.

´Nice move, huh Weasley?´ sneered Draco, stepping towards her.

´Yeah, suppose. So what are you gonna do to me now? Jinx me?´ she asked, keeping her voice casual.

´Yup. That and more.´ said Draco, his manic grin spreading wider over his face. ´In fact, I´m gonna do everything to you that you did to me. Break you down, bit by bit, till you are nothing but a wreck.´ Noticing that a door to a spare classroom was right behind Ginny, Draco slowly took a few more steps towards her, causing her to begin backing away.

´I don´t think so.´ said Ginny, trying to side-step Draco to get to her wand, but he stepped in front of her again, and so she continued to back away.

Draco laughed quietly. ´You can´t get away now Weasley. You have to take what you get, with no complaint. Cause dare to scream, and I´ll silence you. I mean it.´

´In case you haven´t noticed, I don´t complain. I´m not afraid of you Malfoy.´ Her lips curled and her eyes narrowed determinedly.

´Yeah, typical Gryffindor. But I´m not afraid of you either, you stuck up little cow.´ He took another step towards her, and she stepped back again. Now she was almost against the door. Draco moved forward, closing the space between them, and pushed her by wand tip right up against the hard wood. His left hand moved to the doorknob.

´Oh, so you´re not a mouse after all?´ she said, trying to sound sarcastic again, but Draco was pleased to finally hear a note of discomfort in her voice, probably at him being so close to her.

´Sure ain´t, scumbag.´ he said, twisting the doorknob and causing Ginny to fall backwards into the room.

Draco followed her in and shut the door quietly behind him, muttered ´_Colloportus_´, then turned to Ginny, who was trying to scramble away to the other side of the room, but kept tripping over her robes. Draco stepped forward and mercilessly dragged her up by the hair, causing her to give a sharp cry, then he threw her bodily at the wall. After slamming against it, Ginny slumped to the floor again, where she remained motionless.

Draco edged towards her, expecting her to move at any moment, but she didn´t. Thinking that she must have got knocked out, he bent over her. Her hair was obscuring her face, so he reached down to clear it, but next moment Ginny´s arms shot upwards and grabbed his shoulders, dragging him down to the floor before he knew what was going on.

She rolled on top of Draco and sat on his chest, and in his struggle to get her off him he felt her fingers wrapping around his neck and gripping hard on his air pipe.

´_Impedimenta!_´ He managed to gasp, and he could immediately breathe properly again as Ginny was thrown off him.

He got up quickly and went over to her. She was only just getting to her knees. Draco grabbed her hair again and forced her to look up at him, pointing his wand at her chest again.

´Kill me would ya, bitch?´ spat Draco. ´Murder me?´

Ginny glared back at him with defiant eyes, which made Draco angrier, so he whacked her around the face with the back of his hand. She gasped as she was knocked to the floor again, then she kicked out at Draco´s shins. Feeling the pain, he dropped his wand, grabbed Ginny´s shoulders and pulled her up, then slammed her against the wall again. He seized her struggling wrists and pressed them against the plaster, pinning her down with his body, anger surging through him. He stared into her eyes, which seemed to show fear, and she was panting hard, probably from the pain and anger. Without realising it, he had brought his face so close to hers that he could feel her breath on his lips, but he didn´t draw away.

´Death Eater.´ she gasped, her chest heaving beneath him as she tried to catch her breath.

´That´s right.´ he whispered, his face serious. ´Whether I like it or not.´

He breathed deeply and scanned the rest of her face, feeling her panting slow gradually. He could barely see her freckles in the dim moonlight that was shining in through the windows, but her hair was messed up and there was a small patch of blood in the corner of her mouth, probably from his last hit, and a slight bruise was slowly forming around her right eye. His gaze slid over her lips again, an idea springing to his mind, and then he looked back into her eyes, expecting to see the fear, but it was gone. Instead he saw confidence, and Ginny smirked at him.

´What´s so funny?´ Draco asked, feeling his blood boil, but whether from anger or excitement, he wasn´t sure.

´Surely you´re not going to kiss me Malfoy? It would be such a dent to your reputation if your pure blood buddies find out you´ve been snogging a blood traitor like me.´ She whispered, her voice full of gloat. ´Old Zabini must be having a bad influence on you.´

Draco drew back slightly, realising that she had just mentioned exactly what was going through his mind. But, after a second´s hesitation, his mouth curled into a smirk to match hers. ´Yeah, but I can´t let you go around telling the whole world that I chickened out when I had the most wanted girl in the school under my power.´

Ginny arched an eyebrow slightly. ´Most wanted girl in the school now, am I? Well I truly am flattered that a Death Eater would be included in the percentage of guys who want me. And placing me above Xena Murdock on his list, to top it all off. ´

´Who said I want you? All I want, Weasley, is your dignity. Exactly what you and your stinking friends have stolen from me.´ said Draco darkly, bringing his face closer to hers again. ´And seeing as pain seems to have little effect on you, perhaps a few stolen kisses will be more satisfying.´

´Well then Malfoy, go ahead and take my dignity. Like you said, you´ve got me here, and I ain´t going nowhere.´ said Ginny, in a voice that drove him crazy. ´Or don´t you dare? Have you not got the guts? After all, think of all the _pride _you´ll be risking.´

Draco narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. How dare she stand there and talk like she knew he wasn´t going to do anything? Well, he was about to prove just how wrong she was. This was his chance to win the bet once and for all.

Still holding her wrists against the wall, he began to move his face towards hers, glaring into her eyes which stared back defiantly. Every second he expected her to turn her head away or knee him between the legs or something, but she didn´t. She just stood there limply. His mouth reached hers and he trapped her lips with his, tasting the slight flavour of the blood in the corner of her mouth and unconsciously closing his eyes as he did so. But again she was showing no sign of resistance, or even reluctance. Instead of being shy, she was kissing him back as though she was enjoying it. Draco realised she was the best kisser he had ever known.

After a few moments he pulled away and looked into her eyes. There was no sign of gloat on her face any more. Only seriousness. ´Why are you stopping?´ she whispered.

Draco stared at her, finally admitting to himself that he really was crazy about her. Why had he stopped? He didn´t know. All he knew was that she seemed to want him too, and in a rush he began to kiss her again, sliding his tongue into her mouth, then releasing her hands and grabbing her waist instead, pulling her closer.

Her fingers flew to his hair and began tickling his scalp, making his stomach flutter with butterflies. It was she who was in control. She was winning the battle, not him. But Draco didn´t care. All he wanted was for her to never stop, else he´d go insane with longing.

After a few minutes Ginny went to kissing his neck instead, placing wet marks on his skin, her hand caressing the side of his face. ´Ginny...´ he murmured, but she ignored him. He entangled his fingers with her fiery hair and tried again. ´Ginny... you were right. I do want you. I want you more than anything in the world.´

She stopped kissing him and looked at his face, a small smile of victory forming on her lips. ´What happened to stealing my dignity?´ she whispered.

Draco shook his head and ignored the question. ´Will you be with me? As a lover?´

Ginny raised her eyebrows again. ´Have you gone crazy? I´m your enemy, remember?´

He smiled slightly. ´Yeah, I probably am crazy, and it´s you who has made me so, but I don´t care. Nobody needs to know, right?´

Ginny stared at him. ´You´re serious aren´t you?´

´Of course I am. Do I look like I´m joking?´ said Draco.

´No. But you know we´d be risking a lot here if the secret got out, which is likely.´

Draco ran his thumb down her cheek and across her bottom lip, feeling the urge to kiss her again. ´Do _you _want to be with me?´

He waited anxiously while she considered for a moment, then finally she said ´I do now.´

Draco smiled and took her hands, entwining his fingers with hers. ´Well then, we can fight to stay together. No matter what happens, I won´t let anyone hurt you. And please forgive me for hurting you too. I was angry. I didn´t mean to.´

Ginny gazed at him, searching for any trace of dishonesty behind his grey eyes. ´Do you really mean that?´

´You know I do.´ And he pulled her into another kiss, happiness flowing through him at the fact that he had finally decided to let his feelings loose.

**Hehehe rubs hands. Come on, didn´t you just love that? Mucho mucho drama, lol. Anyway, if you´re wondering when the next chapters will be up, the truth is, I have no idea! I´m hoping to get this story finished before Deathly Hallows comes out, or at least up to the bit I have planned. Depending on whether or not i like the DH plot, I might base the very end on that. Anyway, no promises. I do have some later chaps already written up, but it all depends on whether I get enough inspiration to bridge between them. This ain´t easy ya know! LOL. Well, once again, thank you so much for reading this far, and like every other writer on here, I love reviews!**


	11. Gaining Trust

**Right then, few more chappies for yas. I hope you like em. I would also like to thank everyone who added this story to their faves or story alert, it's great to know people are reading it:) I'm getting nearer to the drama now, and the end will be coming soon too, if I'm not too busy to write the last lot of chapters. And since I read Deathly Hallows, I have a pretty clear idea of how it's going to end, but watch out for DH spoilers later on peeps, if you haven't read the book already. These chaps are a little rushed I'm afraid, and there are a lot of bits copied from the book, but some of them are necessary. Enjoy!**

**Gaining Trust**

Draco could never have wished for a better girlfriend than Ginny Weasley. In just a matter of days she had become his best friend. They talked about everything together (except for Draco´s Death Eater duties), they laughed together, they hung out in secret as much as they could. Despite the fact that Draco was still in a bad situation, he felt his life was suddenly brighter than it had ever been throughout his whole existence. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, from his family´s point of view, but he had convinced himself that they wouldn´t find out. He was good at keeping secrets. He had been doing so all year after all.

A few weeks went by blissfully carefree, and they finished their detentions in the library, which had in fact become rather enjoyable, as it was a perfect time to be alone together. Draco was slightly neglecting his time in the Room, and abandoning his school work a little bit more. The fact that their relationship was secret made it exciting, although it was a little nerve wrecking too. As Draco walked through the corridors on his prefect patrol one day, his mind once again on Ginny, his head full of happy thoughts, he turned a corner, and a horrible sight met his eyes.

He saw Harry Potter in an embrace with a girl. A girl with red hair. Draco´s girl. Ginny. And to make it all worse, he was kissing her. His insides went cold as he stood in the slight shadows, half hidden behind a coat of armour, watching them, but then a short moment later Ginny pulled away suddenly and took a step back.

´Harry.´ she said, her voice full of shock. ´Harry, I´m already with someone.´

´What?´ he replied in disbelief. ´Since when?´

´It´s... been going on for a few weeks now. It´s still only the beginning, but I´m happy with him so far. I don´t want to end it. I´m sorry.´

´Oh... right.´ said Harry, looking gutted.

´I´m really sorry Harry. I do like you, but just as a friend. Perhaps if you´d asked me sooner...´ Ginny said, looking at the floor.

´Yeah.´ Harry replied, turning red. ´Well, never mind. I suppose it´s just not meant to be...´

´No...´ said Ginny.

´Well, I´ll see you around...´ After giving her a last look full of sadness, Harry left as quickly as possible.

Ginny watched him until he had turned the corner, then turned around and spotted Draco watching her from behind the suit of armour. She blushed. ´I- I suppose you just saw all that.´

Draco nodded, then came out from his hiding place and went over to her, taking her hands. ´You choose me over Potter?´

Ginny smiled a little. ´Yes, of course I do. I don´t wanna lose you.´ She kissed him softly, then wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

Draco smiled, then stroked and kissed her hair. ´And I don´t wanna lose you either. But you´re sure you didn´t just turn Potter down because you´re scared of me?´

´Scared of you?´ she asked, looking up at him. ´You know me better than that Draco. If I´d ever been scared of you I wouldn´t be with you right now.´

He laughed. ´Yeah, true. Thank you for staying with me. It means a lot.´ He kissed her lips, running a hand through her hair, then hugged her close again.

´We should go.´ whispered Ginny after a moment. ´In case anyone comes.´

´Yeah.´ said Draco, reluctant to let the moment go. ´Maybe we could go find an empty room somewhere for a little while?´

´Yes, OK.´ smiled Ginny, then they walked off, hand in hand, taking care to avoid anyone.

´Come on Draco, we´re not gonna find anywhere decent until it´s too late.´ said Ginny after they had been walking around for half an hour.

´Hang on.´ said Draco as they turned into another corridor. An idea had hit him when they had passed the statue of Boris the Bewildered. ´Have you ever been in the Prefects´ bathroom Gin?´

Ginny shook her head. ´No, but what´s that got to do with anything?´

A grin spread across Draco´s face. ´I´ll show you. Come on.´ He took her hand and led her up to the door, gave the password, then entered.

´Wow.´ said Ginny, looking around the bathroom with wide eyes.

´Nice, isn´t it?´ said Draco, leading her further into the room. ´So, fancy a bit of swimming?´

Ginny shrugged, looking down into the empty pool. ´I´m not wearing a swimsuit.´

´Doesn´t matter, you can go in wearing your underwear.´ said Draco, looking at her. He grinned. ´Or are you shy?´

´No, I´m not shy.´ replied Ginny, poking him playfully between the ribs.

´Sorted then.´ he said, rubbing his ribs a little. ´Right, you wanna fill it, or shall I?´

Ginny looked around at all the different taps. ´Can we put them all on?´

Draco shrugged. ´Sure, if you wanna come out smelling like a florist.´ He leaned forward and began to turn them on at random. ´Help me then, there is a lot you know.´

Ginny giggled and joined him, and before long the bath was full. After turning them all off again, Draco removed his clothes quickly, leaving his boxers on, then turned to Ginny. She, however, was just standing there staring at him, still fully dressed.

´What?´ Draco laughed, looking at her.

´Nothing.´ she replied, smiling slightly and avoiding his gaze as she pulled off her robes. Draco watched her undress, scanning each part of her body that was uncovered to him, and her plain black underwear. How he wanted to just grab her and start kissing her all over...

When Ginny had finished, she left her clothes in a pile, not fussing too much over folding them. She turned to him, and blushed when she realized he had been watching her. She grinned. In a flash Draco walked up to her and lifted her whole body up in his arms, planting a kiss on her lips.

She screamed with laughter and kicked her legs as he began to walk towards the pool. ´Don´t throw me in!´

´Why not? You can swim can´t you?´ He held her above the water, grinning madly.

´Yes but – NOOOOOO!!!´ She screamed again as he dropped her into the water. Draco was laughing when she surfaced.

´Hey, what about you?´ she said, splashing him with water.

´I´m coming!!!´ he shouted, backing away then running back to dive bomb her.

´I´m gonna kill you!´ she shouted, clearing her wet her from her face and blinking from the splash that Draco´s dive had just caused. She swam over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, weighing him down slightly.

´You trying to drown me?´ Draco laughed, putting his arms around her waist.

´That´s right.´ replied Ginny. She brought herself higher and wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him.

´You´re lucky I can just about touch the floor!´ he said, tickling her stomach a little. She flinched and pulled his hand away.

´Don´t tickle me!´ she said, ruffling his wet hair so that it stuck out at weird angles.

´Why not?´ he kissed her again, then reached up to clear a strand of hair that was sticking to her cheek. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and held it up to her eyes, staring at it. ´What?´ he asked, perplexed.

´Your... your arm...´ she said, examining it in horror.

Draco realized that she was staring at his Dark Mark. ´Oh...´

´So... you are a Death Eater after all then?´ she said, looking him in the eye.

´Yes he replied, glancing away, but then he looked back at her again pleadingly. ´But they forced me to Ginny. You´ve gotta understand that.´

She continued to stare at him, hurt and disbelief in her eyes. ´Were you going to tell me?´

´I...´ Draco sighed. ´I thought you already knew.´

Ginny lowered herself back to the floor of the pool again and drew away slightly, the same expression on her face, but this time there was fear and anger there too. ´What, so you want Harry dead? Harry, and Hermione, and my family, and...´ She trailed off.

´No Ginny.´ said Draco, shaking his head and taking her hands pleadingly. ´I don´t want any of them dead. I don´t want anything like that. Like I said, they forced me into it.´

´Right, so you have to do what Voldemort says, or he´ll kill you, right?´ said Ginny fiercely, ignoring Draco´s wince. ´And top of his death list is Harry of course.´

Draco hung his head, defeated. ´Yes, he will kill me...´ He looked up at Ginny again, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her. ´But you know that I´ll never let him or anyone else hurt you. They´ll have to go through me first. I´d do anything for you.´

´Well then, if you´d do anything, then you´d join our side and help fight against him.´ she said, her eyes burning holes through his face.

Draco sighed again. ´Then they´ll definitely kill me... and besides, your side wouldn´t trust me.´ He looked away to avoid her seeing what he was hiding. He cared little for the rest of Dumbledore´s side. His only concern was for Ginny and her safety, and he couldn´t let her see that because he would lose her forever.

´But this way, we can never be happy together can we? We can never have a normal relationship.´ she said, her eyes beginning to shine with tears.

´No, not while the Dark Lord is alive we can´t. But we´re surviving it so far aren´t we? And after all, we´ve only just begun. It may get more difficult, it may not, but like I said, I will never let anything happen to you.´ He squeezed her slightly and kissed her forehead.

Ginny only watched him, scanning his face for dishonesty, which she did often. Then, seemingly satisfied, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

´We´ll get through this, baby.´ said Draco, running his hand through her wet hair. ´I promise.´


	12. Sectumsempra

**Sectumsempra**

It was getting closer to the end of term, and Draco was still no nearer to fixing the cabinet than he had been at the start. The Dark Lord, growing impatient, had begun to check up on his progress through Legilimency every single night, and he grew angrier each time Draco told him that he hadn´t fixed it yet. He was spending nearly all his free time in the Room of Requirement, eating and sleeping less each day, and his time spent with Ginny was reduced to an incredible low. But those brief meetings were the only thing that kept him going. He knew that Ginny could tell that there was something going on by the way she kept asking questions, and suspicion weighed heavy on her face when she looked at him. It hurt to lie to her, but Draco had no choice.

´Quidditch Final on Saturday.´ Ginny sighed as they sat with their arms around each other at the edge of the Forest, hidden from view behind the trees one lunch time, a few days before the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match.

´Yeah.´ said Draco, only really listening to the sound of her voice instead of what she was actually saying. ´You´ll win.´

´You think?´ she asked, looking at him.

´Yeah, ´course I do. Gryffindor have got to win if they have my girlfriend on their team.´ He smiled and kissed her, squeezing her shoulders slightly.

´Will you come to the match?´ she asked, fiddling slightly with his tie.

Draco sighed. ´If you really want me to.´

She tried to look into his eyes, but he avoided her gaze. ´Draco, what´s wrong? You´ve been really distant lately.´

´I don´t know Ginny. Just stuff on my mind.´ He cast around for an excuse. ´My family for example. I´m worried about them.´

She watched him for a moment, showing concern. ´Why don´t you write to them?´

´Cause they don´t write back.´ he said simply. ´Mother writes sometimes, but not as often as she used to. I expect she has too much to do. And father is in Azkaban...´ It was partly true. His mother tried to write to him often, but his father didn´t like it. He probably thought that if Draco didn´t receive news, it would be more of a punishment for his failure in his mission.

Ginny put her legs over his and pulled herself into his lap, placing her arms around his neck and laying her head on his chest. Draco held her close and kissed her hair, leaning his back against the trunk of the tree that they were sitting under.

´It will all be okay Draco.´ she whispered, kissing his cheek.

He nodded slightly, but he knew that nothing would be okay, because they would be torn apart whether he succeeded in his mission or not.

´Ginny, I-´ he began, but then he was cut off by the sound of the bell ringing up in the castle, signalling the end of the lunch break. Ginny looked at him, urging him to say what was on his mind, but he shook his head. ´It doesn´t matter. Come on.´

She continued to watch him questioningly for a moment, but then, seeing that he wasn´t going to say what he wanted to, she got up. Draco followed suit and took her hand, only to let go when they were in full view of the castle.

Draco felt incredibly lonely when they reached the classroom where Ginny´s Charms lesson was held, and after saying a quick goodbye he continued up to the seventh floor by himself, on his way to the Room of Requirement due to the fact that he had a free lesson. But, lost in sad thoughts of his situation, he felt tears well up in his eyes and instead entered the boys´ bathroom on the sixth floor.

He leaned against the door of one of the cubicles and watched his reflection in the dirty mirror, seeing the tears drip down his cheeks. He hated the face he saw staring back at him, the drawn cheeks, the shadows under his eyes, the dullness of his gaze. It was no wonder Ginny was worried about him.

He punched the door in anger, the wood bruising his knuckles, but he ignored the pain and began to kick it instead, venting out his frustration. Then, tired out, he slid down onto the damp floor and began to sob.

´Whatever is the matter now Draco?´ came a familiar voice from nearby, a short time later. Draco looked up suddenly to see Moaning Myrtle floating above a sink.

He sighed and placed his head in his hands again. ´The same as usual Myrtle. I can´t tell you.´

Myrtle remained silent for a moment, and Draco could feel her pale eyes on him while he breathed deeply, wishing she would leave him, but also comforted by her presence somewhat. ´There must be someone you can tell.´ she said quietly.

´I can´t tell anyone, because if I do, I´ll be in big trouble.´ he whispered, exhaling loudly as his posture seemed to crumple slightly.

´What about... _that girl _I´ve seen you hiding with sometimes? The one with the ginger hair?´ she asked coolly. Draco was slightly amused to notice a hint of jealousy in her voice as he lifted his head, but still avoided her gaze.

´She is the whole reason it hurts so bad. Because if I do this, she will never speak to me again. She will hate me, and I don´t want that. She´s the last person I want to lose...´ He trailed off, his gaze lost in space and his eyes prickling again.

Myrtle began to float around back and forth above him as though pacing, absently picking a spot on her chin as she went. ´She must be really special then, if she means that much to you.´ she muttered after a while, settling herself again on the cistern of a toilet.

Draco could see her reflection in a mirror and he stood up, leaning against a sink and looking at her with a sad smile on his face. ´She is special. No one could replace her.´ He turned to look at his face in the mirror, his expression moody again. ´I don´t know what she sees in me though. I´m an evil little shit.´

´No you´re not!´ said Myrtle, startled that he would be so hard on himself. ´You´re a great guy! You care!´

Draco shook his head and closed his eyes, silent tears leaking out from beneath his eyelids and dripping into the sink. ´I´m not great. And if I cared about anything good, I wouldn´t have taken on the job I´m meant to do. And I wouldn´t have to hurt Ginny. I wouldn´t have to hurt anyone else either.´ He clutched the side of the sink and bowed his head as the tears fell more rapidly down his cheeks, his body shaking with the desire to scream until his lungs gave out.

´Don´t,´ Myrtle crooned. ´Don´t... tell me what´s wrong... I can help you...´

´No one can help me.´ said Draco. ´I can´t do it... I can´t... it won´t work... and unless I do it soon... he says he´ll kill me...´ He gasped for air, his tight throat making it difficult to breathe, then he shuddered and looked back up into the mirror. Suddenly his stomach dropped like a stone as he saw that he and Myrtle were not alone. The door was open, and in the gap stood none other than Harry Potter.

He wheeled around, drawing his wand, sending a hex rocketing towards Harry, which missed and shattered the lamp on the wall beside him instead. Harry dived sideways, flicking his wand, but Draco blocked it and raised his wand for another -

´No! No! Stop it!´ squealed Myrtle, her voice echoing loudly around the tiled room. ´Stop! STOP!´

Draco sent another curse at Harry, which instead exploded the bin behind him; Harry sent one back, but it backfired off the wall and smashed the cistern beneath Moaning Myrtle, who screamed loudly; water poured everywhere and Harry slipped over. Seizing his chance, Draco pointed his wand at him. ´Cruci-´

´SECTUMSEMPRA!´ bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly.

Next thing Draco knew, his face and chest were slashed open by an invisible weapon. He screamed from the stinging and dropped to the floor, putting his hands up in an attempt to shield his face from the magic, his own blood poring over his fingers. In his distress he thought he could feel Harry move closer to him and say something, which made him panic worse and he began to shake uncontrollably, and Myrtle was screaming and shouting hysterically overhead. Next thing he heard a loud bang and another voice, muttering strange words, and he squinted through his blood soaked eyelashes to see Snape passing his wand over his wounds.

Little by little he felt the pain drifting away as Snape healed his face and chest, but when he pulled him to his feet he felt incredibly sick and dizzy.

´You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that... come...´

He supported Draco across the bathroom, turning at the door to say in a voice of cold fury, ´And you, Potter... you wait here for me.´

Snape helped Draco through the door and supported him as they walked down the corridor. ´What happened Draco?´ he asked, once they had turned a corner.

´I was just in the bathroom, Sir, talking to the ghost and minding my own business. Potter just barged in and started to attack me, then he used that curse.´

´Do you remember the incantation he used?´ Snape urged.

Draco was silent for a moment while he remembered. ´It sounded something like sectum... sectum...´

´Sectumsempra?´

´Yeah, that was it.´ said Draco, gingerly running a hand over his cheek and feeling thick scabs there.

Snape was silent for some time, concentrating on holding Draco steady as they went towards the hospital wing. Then Draco spoke again. ´What is Dittany, Professor?´

´It is a herb that heals wounds quickly and avoids scarring. You should know that by now Draco.´ said Snape, shifting the arm supporting Draco slightly.

´Well, I forgot.´ said Draco. ´How do I take it?´

´It is stewed and wiped over the wound as a potion.´ said Snape. ´And anything else you might want to know, you can ask Madam Pomfrey. We´re here now.´

Snape pushed open the doors to the hospital wing and led Draco to the nearest empty bed, calling to Madam Pomfrey as he did so. Draco collapsed on the mattress and lay his aching head on the pillow, closing his eyes and breathing deeply in an attempt to calm the dizziness.

´What has happened here?´ said Madam Pomfrey at the sight of Draco´s face as she bustled over.

´The Sectumsempra Curse, Poppy. He needs Dittany as soon as possible.´ Snape informed her.

´Yes, of course!´ she said, hurrying to the medicine cupboard. She came back with a wad of cotton wool and a large potion bottle. ´Here you are, Mr Malfoy.´ she said, soaking a wad with potion and pressing it to Draco's wounds. It stung slightly, but the pain soon stopped.

´He has lost a lot of blood as well Poppy, so he will need to regain it.´

´Yes, I do know Severus!´ she snapped, obviously insulted by him telling her what to do in her own job.

´Right then, I had best be going. I have punishment to deal out to the person who did this.´ said Snape, walking to the door.

´Yes Severus.´ said Madam Pomfrey, closing the door behind him. She then turned back to Draco and fed him with all sorts of blood regenerating potions, then ordered him to sleep, but soon after that Pansy Parkinson arrived, demanding to see him. Draco couldn´t believe that she still wanted to bother him, but he had no energy to argue and told her what had happened instead. Finally Madam Pomfrey came to send her away, saying that Draco needed sleep, and sleep was what he did.

But some hours later, sooner than he wanted, he was shaken awake by a dark figure sitting on the edge of his bed. It was dark and all the lamps had been extinguished, and he could only see the outline of the person from the pale moonlight slanting through the curtains.

´It´s me, Draco. It´s Ginny.´ the figure whispered. It then leaned closer and kissed him softly on the lips, and he immediately recognized the scent of her hair. He found her hand and slid his fingers through hers, while the other hand he placed on the back of her head and pulled her down for another kiss.

´I was so shocked when I found out. What has he done to you?´

Ginny shifted slightly so that the moonlight fell on her face, and Draco saw that she looked worried. She gently placed the tips of her fingers against his cheek and traced them along one of the long scabs, careful not to hurt him. A moment later he could see a tear sparkling in the corner of her eye.

´Don´t worry, baby.´ he whispered, gently wiping the tear away with his thumb before it had chance to fall. ´I´m okay now. That´s the most important thing.´

Ginny sniffed and nodded sadly, placing her head on his chest, just below the cuts that were hidden under his night shirt. ´I just don´t understand why you two have to fight all the time. You could at least try to get along.´

Draco felt his stomach squirm at her words. ´Potter and I are not meant to get along Ginny. We have to be rivals, whether we like it or not. We cannot undo the past now that it has already been written.´

´But you can change the future.´ said Ginny, raising her head and staring pleadingly into his eyes. ´You don´t have to fight against him.´

´I do though Ginny. If it weren´t for this mark on my arm, you know I´d be free to choose what I want to do.´

Ginny remained silent for a moment, avoiding his gaze. Her hand went to his left arm and she carefully pushed up his sleeve, uncovering the Dark Mark. She lightly ran her thumb over the shape of it for a moment, lost in thought, but then she quickly drew her hand away as though burnt and covered it up again. ´I hate this war.´ she whispered, staring him fiercely in the eye.

Draco remained silent for a moment, before speaking. ´So do I, Ginny.´

´And all Voldemort wants is destruction. Surely that is nothing worth fighting for?´

Draco flinched slightly, surprised that Ginny would dare say his name. He then pulled her close to him, allowing her to bury her face in his shirt again. ´The Dark Lord fights for power, and purification of wizard kind. We Death Eaters follow him for pride, and to protect our families... and because we are afraid...´ He felt shame run through him as he said the last word, even more as he knew it was true.

Ginny looked at him again. She was crying. ´Don´t be afraid Draco. Be brave. Stand up to him. It isn´t difficult. You just have to be strong.´

´I can´t be strong Ginny. I lost my strength a long time ago. My father made sure of that.´

Ginny merely stared at him sadly though the darkness, her deep brown eyes haunting him like never before.


	13. Three Little Words

**Three Little Words**

´You´ll be fine Ginny.´ Draco soothed the morning of the Quidditch Final as they stood together on the edge of the forest so that Draco could wish her luck. ´You´ll kick Chang´s ass, I know you will.´

Ginny smiled nervously as she stood trembling, despite the warm day. Draco laughed and hugged her. ´You´re shaking like a leaf, you doughnut. Don´t worry. It will be fine.´

´Yeah.´ she muttered in a small voice. She took a deep breath. ´Thanks for coming Draco.´

´Anything for you, honey.´ he smiled.

Ginny beamed back at him angelically, then checked her watch. ´I´d better go and get changed, or the team will have my guts.´ She picked up her broom, which had been leaning against a tree trunk and shouldered it.

´Yeah, good luck. I´ll wait for you here after the match. Then after you can go and celebrate with your team.´

´Yeah, well I hope it will be celebrating.´ She gave him a long, deep kiss, then took a deep breath and walked off in the direction of the pitch, flashing him a last nervous smile before she disappeared.

Draco stood smiling after her for a few minutes, savouring the fresh air and the sound of the birds twittering in the trees, then he dug his hands into his pockets and followed in the direction Ginny had gone.

The stadium was extremely noisy, as always at Quidditch matches. Draco went up to the Slytherin stands and spotted his classmates, but he wasn´t really in any mood to sit with them. Instead he found a seat on the corner between the Slytherins and Ravenclaws, among a group of overexcited first years. He paid them little attention as they glanced his way when he sat down. Instead, he took to looking around the stands at the other viewers. A mass of red and gold was opposite, and beside him was a sea of deep blue. He then grinned as the Gryffindors broke into a chorus of his legendary "Weasley is our King". Yes, the Weasleys truly did deserve to be remembered at Hogwarts, Draco thought to himself.

Ten minutes later there were deafening cheers as the two teams walked out onto the pitch. Draco clapped with the rest of them, his eyes on Ginny´s rippling, copper coloured ponytail. He smiled again, suddenly wishing he had joined in Quidditch a little more often that term. But his pleasure had been something very restricted since he had joined the Death Eaters. He sighed and pushed the horrible thoughts out of his head, concentrating on watching Ginny.

The game went well. He had never really watched Ginny play properly before, and although he had seen better seekers, he had to admit she had talent. She kept Cho Chang distracted from the Snitch when it was too early to catch, and then caught it perfectly once the Chasers had gotten enough points. Draco began to cheer with the Gryffindors when they saw that they had won, but then he remembered that he was supposed to be keeping it secret and went to beaming instead as he began to make his way out of the stands. After disentangling himself from the crowds, he made his way back to the edge of the Forest to wait for Ginny, knowing she would take a while yet.

When she did arrive, however, she came running into his arms screaming ´WE WON, WE WON!!!´

´I told you you would, didn´t I?´ Draco laughed as he lifted her up and spun her around, her Quidditch robes flying out around them.

´And I caught the Snitch!´ she squealed, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck and kissing him as he set her back down on the floor again. ´I caught it!´

´Well done honey. You´re the best seeker in the world.´

´Even better than you?´ Ginny laughed.

´Of course! Have I ever won a match?´ He smiled and kissed her again, then drew away gently and stroked a loose strand of hair out of her face, looking into her eyes. Sunddenly realisation dawned on him that his time with her was running out. ´I love you Ginny.´ he whispered, holding her waist tightly.

Ginny gazed back at him, her expression unreadable. ´That´s the first time you´ve told me that.´

´I know, and I should have told you that every day from the moment I met you, since that day in Flourish and Blots, when our fathers had that fight.´ He smiled and kissed her again. ´And I want to show you how much I love you.´

Ginny smiled. ´You don´t need to show me Draco. Your eyes tell me.´

´Yes, but I want to show you in every way. Remember the Room of Requirement? Well, it turns into whatever we want it to turn into, right?... Come and spend the night with me there, please.´ He held her close, and he could feel her breathing against his chest as he looked into her eyes pleadingly.

Ginny leaned up and kissed him tenderly again. ´Okay. But only because I love you too. More than I´ve ever loved anyone else.´

Draco smiled at her. ´Is that true?´

´Of course it is.´ They then walked away, arms around each other, in the direction of the castle.

´YES, YES! I FIXED IT! WOOHOO! WOOHOOOOO!!!´ Draco jumped around the Room of Requirement, ecstatic at finally having succeeded in fixing the blasted cabinet. He couldn't believe he had finally done it. His heart felt lighter than it had in months. Now all he had to do was wait for Dumbledore to leave the castle again.

He continued to dance around the Room, whooping with joy, when suddenly he heard a voice. He stopped suddenly and listened, realizing that there was somebody inside the Room with him. He quickly took a packet of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder out of his pocket and threw it in the direction of the door, lighting his Hand of Glory as everything went black. Turning the corner, he saw Professor Trelawney staring around blindly, her arms full of bottles. He quickly went towards her and shoved her out the door, slamming it behind her. He then sat on the floor and listened as she screeched, and he heard another voice talking to her a few moments later. He took a few deep breaths as he heard the footsteps walking away, and the Room gradually began to regain its light. As soon as he knew the coast to be clear, he left the Room to go and get some sleep.

It wasn´t long before he was awoken by a warmth in his pocket. He reached into it and took out his messenger coin which kept him in touch with Madame Rosmerta. He couldn´t believe his luck. She was telling him that Dumbledore had left the castle.

He jumped up quickly and made his way back to the Room of Requirement. Just as he was about to contact the Death Eaters to come to Hogwarts, however, he remembered Ginny, and a pang hit him hard. He had to do something, to tell her he was sorry. He quickly found a piece of parchment and wrote a short note on it, mainly saying that he loved her, and that he was sorry for what he was doing, and he didn´t mean it. He folded it up and wrote her name on the outside. He wasn´t sure if he would be able to get it to her or not, but he could only hope that it would somehow find its way into her hands. Then, not wanting to waste any more time, he contacted the Death Eaters.

They didn´t take long to arrive. After greeting them, he ordered them all into a line, holding each other´s hands, the first holding the back of Draco´s robes. Draco took hold of his Hand of Glory again, his wand in his other hand, and led them towards the door.

As soon as he looked outside, he saw Ron, Neville and, to his dismay, Ginny. He hated for her to see him betray her, but he had no choice. He quickly threw Darkness Powder into the air, then lit his Hand to enable him to see. He led the Death Eaters out of the Room, and walked towards Ginny. ´I love you.´ he whispered, then kissed her. He saw her stare around blindly, fear and confusion on her face, and his heart ached to have to leave her. _That´s the last time I kiss her_, he thought to himself. Walking rapidly away with the Death Eaters, he glanced back at her, filled with loss and shame. But there was no time to linger. They had to go towards the Astronomy Tower.

When they got there, however, they found themselves surrounded by a band of Order members. ´Gibbon, go and set the Mark off!´ Draco yelled, and a moment later he saw the stout man run up the tower steps.

He and the other Death Eaters began to fight, and soon after he saw Potter´s friends join in. He suddenly found himself face to face with Ginny. She was staring at him, hurt, but then a second later she had had to turn away, engaged in conflict with one of the Death Eaters. He tried to stop them and tell Ginny to leave, but then he saw Gibbon come running down the stairs and get hit by a killing curse. Knowing he had a job to do, Draco jumped over his body and ran up the stairs.

He charged through the door and saw Dumbledore standing there alone. ´_Expelliarmus!_´ he yelled, and watched Dumbledore´s wand fly away over the ramparts. But instead of looking afraid, Dumbledore merely watched him calmly. ´Good evening, Draco.´ he said.

Draco stepped forwards, glancing around quickly. His eyes fell upon a second broom.

´Who else is here?´

´A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?´

´No,´ said Draco. ´I´ve got back-up. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight.´

´Well, well.´ said Dumbledore casually. ´Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in did you?´

´Yeah,´ said Draco, panting. ´Right under your nose and you never realised!´

´Ingenious,´ said Dumbledore. ´Yet... forgive me... where are they now? You seem unsupported.´

´They met some of your guard. They´re having a fight down below. They won´t be long... I came on ahead. I – I´ve got a job to do.´

´Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy.´ said Dumbledore softly.

Draco remained silent, staring at Dumbledore, who suddenly smiled.

´Draco, Draco, you are not a killer.´

´How do you know?´ said Draco at once. He suddenly blushed, realising how childish he must have sounded.

´You don´t know what I´m capable of,´ he said, more forcefully. ´you don´t know what I´ve done!´

´Oh, yes, I do,´ said Dumbledore mildly. ´You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts... so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it...´

´It has been in it!´ said Draco. ´I´ve been working on it all year, and tonight -´

Draco suddenly heard a muffled yell from below and glanced over his shoulder.

´Somebody is putting up a good fight.´ said Dumbledore conversationally. ´But you were saying... yes, you have managed to introduce Death Eaters into my school which, I admit, I thought impossible... how did you do it?´

Draco ignored him, listening to what was happening below.

´Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone.´ suggested Dumbledore. ´What if your backup has been thwarted by my guard? As you have perhaps realised, there are members of the Order of the Phoenix here tonight, too.´

Draco stared at him, and they continued to argue, Dumbledore trying to talk him out of his job, and Draco telling him how he had managed to let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Then next thing Dumbledore began talking about Draco's options.

´Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban... when the time comes we can protect him too... come over to the right side Draco... you are not a killer... love is more important to you, I can see that.´

Draco stared at him, realising that he knew about Ginny. He quickly pushed her out of his mind, however, and cast around for another excuse.

´But I got this far, didn't I? They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here, despite everything... and you´re in my power... I'm the one with the wand... you´re at my mercy...´

´No, Draco,´ said Dumbledore quietly. ´It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now.´

Draco continued to stare at him, confused, wondering what to do, the thought of Ginny still weighing heavy on his mind. He lowered his wand slightly. But just then he was shoved to the side as four Death Eaters charged in, leering at Dumbledore.

Alecto quickly praised him, but then turned to Dumbledore and engaged in teasing him with the others. Dumbledore held the conversation, as though playing for time, until they started to urge Draco to kill him. He stepped forward, but still he did not make a move, his hand shaking badly. He had to do it, quickly, before Snape arrived. But then suddenly he heard the door bang open behind him and he saw that he was too late. Snape entered, stepping forward and pushing Draco back out of the way, before raising his wand at Dumbledore.

´_Avada Kedavra!_´

A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest, where he was blasted into the air and disappeared over the battlements.

´Out of here, quickly,´ said Snape, grabbing Draco by the scruff of the neck and forcing him through the door. They all ran down the steps into a corridor full of dust and into the raging battle. ´It´s over, time to go!´ yelled Snape, blasting a path through the duelling people and dragging Draco through it. Suddenly, he heard his name being called.

´Draco! Draco!´ Ginny was screaming, and he could see her just feet away, trying to get past several people to reach him. Suddenly, however, Amycus had sent a curse flying at her which missed by inches.

´Leave her alone!´ he bellowed, and without thinking he sent a Stunning Spell at him, which missed. Snape, on the other hand, seemed not to have noticed and instead dragged him around the corner, away from the battle and away from Ginny...

**I hope you are enjoying it so far! Some drama coming in the next couple of chapters, I will warn now though, I don't recommend them for young children. There's going to be about 3 or 4 more chapters, and I thank everyone who has reviewed so far, or who has added this story to their alert. It means a lot to me! Well, hopefully I'll be back soon with the final chapters, and sorry to keep you waiting until then! You all keep me encouraged though, so don't worry :) Love to all, Azure Oblivion.**


	14. A Tool

**New chapters everyone! Yay, not far to go now, nearly there. Hope you're all enjoying it! Once again, I want to thank everyone who reviewed and added this story to their alert, it's great! Back at college now, so may be a little difficult, but I've got it all pretty much mapped out. Hope you all like it! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**A Tool**

´What the hell is wrong with you?!´ Lucius Malfoy screamed at Draco, hitting him around the face once again. ´He was right there, weak, wandless and all by himself, and you still didn´t have the guts to kill him yourself! You had to wait for Snape to get there didn´t you? You disgrace of a Death Eater! You have dishonored me Draco! I´m a laughing stock!´

Draco cowered in the corner as his father hit him again and again, unable to move due to having been bound. This was what he had had to put up with since they had returned home, his father having been collected from prison, and he was in agony.

´Why didn´t you do it Draco? HAVE YOU GONE SOFT?!´ His father kicked him in the legs and sprayed spit everywhere in his anger.

´Leave me alone!´ Draco moaned, trying to dodge as Lucius gave another blow.

´Leave you alone? Do you think the Dark Lord is going to leave you alone when he gets here? He is furious with you Draco, and when you´ve had a few sets of torture sessions you won´t be begging _me_ to leave you alone! Now tell me, why didn´t you do it?´

Draco shook his head, refusing to speak, when he suddenly felt his hair stand up on end at the sound of an icy voice. ´Leave your son to me Malfoy.´

´Yes my Lord.´ Draco heard his father say, then he heard footsteps and the door closing.

After a few moments, Voldemort spoke. ´Look at me.´

Draco hesitated before lifting his gaze to meet the pitiless red eyes of Lord Voldemort. He felt him attacking his mind immediately, so he performed Occlumency as quickly as he could.

´Ah ah, none of that Malfoy. I want to know exactly what you are hiding from me... It wasn´t just cowardice that made you fail to kill Dumbledore, I can see that.´

´No!´ Still Draco refused to give up and scrunched his eyes up tight, lowering his head. He wasn´t going to betray Ginny again. He couldn´t.

´Perhaps a little pain will loosen your tongue?´ Came the cold voice above him. ´_Crucio!_´

Draco screamed in agony. It wasn´t the first time he had felt the Cruciatus Curse, but it didn´t make it any more bearable.

After a moment Voldemort lifted the spell. ´Let us make you a little more comfortable shall we? _Relaxo_.´

Draco felt the bindings fall off him, and he wrapped his arms around his aching body, still refusing to let Voldemort read his mind.

´Now, I will ask you again. What are you hiding from me? I´ll give you five seconds to answer, or it will be more pain.´

´I won´t tell you.´ Draco croaked, his throat dry.

´Suit yourself. _Crucio!_´

Draco screamed again and curled into a ball, feeling excruciating fire burn through his body. ´Nooooo!!!´

Voldemort sneered. ´You are a Slytherin, Malfoy. You are not brave. You cannot take this forever! _Crucio!_´

Draco pushed his fingers into his hair and gripped it tightly as he felt the curse for the third time. When it stopped again, he slumped forward, face down on the ground. He found himself too weak to keep working the Occlumency, and before he could help himself an image of Ginny, laughing happily, had swum to the front of his mind.

´Well, well, well. Dirty little blood traitors are what you want to hide from me then is it? I have reason to believe she is a Weasley, am I correct?´ Voldemort´s voice was full of triumph and disgust.

Draco felt tears stinging his eyes as he realised he had just given in to Voldemort. _Now he´s going to kill her..._ He thought in panic.

´Kill her?´ Said Voldemort, a hint of gloat mixed into his voice. ´Oh yes, that will happen eventually, but before that I can put her to some very good use, and you are going to help me do it.´

´No! You can´t ever make me do anything to her. I care about her!´ Said Draco determinedly, looking at Voldemort.

Voldemort pointed his wand at him, and next moment Draco found himself being lifted up and slammed into the wall by an invisible force. ´You will do whatever I tell you to, or I will have you both killed. Is that clear?´

´Y- y- yes, my Lord.´ Said Draco, finally giving in.

&&&

´A Weasley? You have been going out with a Weasley? Have you no sense in that head of yours whatsoever? Oh the shame, my own son with a filthy blood traitor like her!´

Draco ignored him, so Lucius angrily gave him another whack around the face again, adding more pain to his already aching body. But Draco didn´t care. His father´s shame meant nothing to him. All he felt was worry for Ginny´s safety.

´How long has this been going on for?´ Shouted Lucius, grabbing Draco´s shoulders and forcing him to look at him. ´Hey? How long has it been happening?´

´I don´t know. A few months! Maybe more.´ Said Draco, scowling.

´A few months? It shouldn´t even have started! What were you thinking? Was it some sort of bet?´

´Well yeah, I suppose it started off that way, but so what? I care about her!´ Said Draco defiantly.

Lucius turned away and spat on the floor, disgusted. ´She´s the enemy Draco! It´s not normal!´

´D´you think I care? I can´t help who I fall for can I? I´m not like you father!´ Shouted Draco.

´Yeah, and am I bloody glad about that! I don´t even know how I can call myself your father! I don´t know how I can even look at you!´

´Yeah, well I don´t know how I can call myself your son! You´re treating me worse than you treat the flaming house elf!´ Draco yelled, feeling some strength returning to his body.

Lucius turned to look at him again, then he hit him around the face once more and strode out the room, slamming the door as he went.

&&&

The weeks went by slowly, Lucius finally leaving Draco alone at the request of his wife, and Draco staying out of the way as much as he could, except for when he was summoned to Death Eater meetings and such. The others said little to him, and didn't pay him much attention, but he preferred it that way. He wasn't keen on the fact that Voldemort was often present in his home, especially not when he had to endure listening to him torture Ollivander down in the cellar, but he learned to live with it. The only thing he couldn't bear was not being near to Ginny, and he dreaded to think what Voldemort was planning on making him do to her when the time came.

It was nearing the end of July, however, when Voldemort finally did summon him. It was at the meeting when Charity Burbage was murdered, and Draco was cornered after most of the other Death Eaters were dismissed.

´I have found a way to get hold of the girl.´ he told Draco, a gloating smile curving his lips. ´It has reached our ears that the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix are in fact The Burrow, the home of the Weasleys. On the first of August, a wedding is going to take place, and Harry Potter, I presume, is going to be there. We are going to find a way to get a number of Death Eaters in there to capture the boy, but in case they fail, which I admit has happened too often, I want you to lure the girl here instead, so we can use her as bait. It shouldn't be difficult. I am sure she would like an explanation as to why you left her.´ Voldemort ended, his smirk wider. He then got to his feet, telling a frightened Draco that he would be in touch to discuss it further, then he left.

&&&

It was a warm night, a number of Death Eaters, Draco among them, standing in a group on the front lawn of the Malfoy Manor. They all wore hooded black cloaks and masks, as usual, and they held their wands ready, waiting tensely for the call of their master upon their arms. Draco shivered slightly despite the warmth, his mind full of fear and the knowledge that he was about to see Ginny again. He longed to see her, but he knew that when he would, he was going to put her in grave danger, and possibly even sentence her to death.

'Won't be long now.' said one of the Death Eaters, glancing at a watch. 'They should have hold of Scrimgeour by now.'

Draco glanced up at the stars, remembering a night when he and Ginny had sneaked out together and lain side by side on one of the tower tops, seeking out the constellations and making up new ones. He found the two bright lights which shone close together, which they had titled after themselves and their love for each other, and he almost smiled, hugging himself slightly and longing for the past, the stolen moments they had shared, the nights they had spent sleeping in one another's arms, not caring about the world outside the bedroom door. But his happy memories were suddenly interrupted by a searing pain in his left arm, and he responded to the call by disapparating along with the other Death Eaters, and arriving at a scene of complete confusion.

He looked around, people running in all directions, curses flying everywhere, the place full of red-headed people. He stifled a grumble and ducked down slightly to avoid the flying curses, then ran in a random direction, searching for Ginny.

He pushed passed a group of French people screeching loudly, and spotted three people turn on the spot and disapparate, recognising two of them as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The third person he did not recognise, but his suspicions told him it was Potter in disguise. He rushed towards a fellow Death Eater, whom he recognised a moment later as his uncle Rodolphus, his face hidden mostly by his mask.

'Potter's sidekicks have just disapparated with another boy, who I am assuming is Potter himself. He is fat and has red hair. Just so you know.'

'Good. Thanks for that Draco.' said Rodolphus. 'Get on with your job and I will warn the others.'

Draco nodded, then turned away, rushing through the crowd of running, screaming and disapparating people, glimpsing the bride and her younger sister wearing a gold dress. He suddenly remembered Ginny mentioning the fact that she was going to be a bridesmaid alongside Delacour's sister one time, and began to look for another gold dress. Moments later he spotted her, and she just so happened to be running his way, calling for someone who's name was drowned out in the noise. Draco almost forgot what he was doing as he was consumed by her beauty, and the happiness the sight of her gave him. But after that split second of bliss, reality hit him hard again, and he was forced to do his job. He lowered his hood, and removed his mask, and stood there looking at her. She almost ran passed him, but then did a double-take and stopped dead in front of him, her skirts gathered up in her hands, her hair half hanging loosely around her shoulders, and she was staring at him blankly, unable to believe what she was seeing.

'Draco?' Ginny mumbled after a few moments, but just then a flash of green light shot towards her, and Draco rapidly dragged her out of the way, pulling her by the hand up a slight hill, away from the crowds. To his surprise she didn't resist, and he didn't know how she could trust him so much, after all that had happened, and when he was about to betray her even more. He turned to look at her, grasping both her hands in his, tears beginning to fill his eyes.

'Ginny, I want to tell you I'm really sorry for what I'm about to do, but I promise, I'll find a way to get you out of this, even if I have to die. I love you, please don't ever forget that.'

Ginny stared at him, then opened her mouth to reply, but Draco interrupted her by kissing her hard on the lips, holding her waist tightly. Ginny let out a moan of resistance and pushed at his chest, but he didn't let go, just kissed her harder. Then, hearing feet running towards them, he turned on the spot with her and vanished.

As soon as their feet touched solid ground again, Ginny pulled away quickly, looking at her surroundings. But it was only a few moments before someone shouted '_Incarcerous!_', and ropes flew at her from the darkness, binding her from head to foot. She screamed as she fell to the floor, and three Death Eaters surrounded her, roughly picking her up.

'Don't hurt her!' Draco yelled as they began to walk away, Ginny still screaming and trying to kick her legs. He began to follow, but one man turned and pushed him back with his wand.

'You leave her to us, little Malfoy, and go to your room now and be a good boy. The Dark Lord will be pleased with you.'

'No! You're going to hurt her! I can't let you hurt her! I can't!' He tried to run to her aid, but the Death Eater grabbed him and lifted him slightly, then dragged him off to his room, Draco still struggling all the way up the stairs. When they arrived, the man removed his wand, threw him on his bed, then left, locking the door magically behind him, and leaving Draco in the pitch black loneliness.


	15. The Flight

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**The Flight**

'Oh Draco, I can't believe you've got yourself in such a mess.' said Draco's mother sympathetically the following morning.

Draco nodded, sitting moodily on his mess of sheets which he had torn off the bed in anger. 'They took my wand too mother.' he replied, putting on a sulky voice.

'Don't worry, I will get it back for you.' she said, patting his fair hair. 'They have no right to keep it.'

He nodded. 'Thanks mother.' He remained silent for a few minutes, staring into space, then looked up at her. 'How is Ginny?'

Narcissa's features seemed to tighten slightly as Ginny's name was mentioned. 'I do not know Draco. All I have heard is that they were questioning her most of the night.'

Draco swallowed a bad taste which had formed in his mouth at his mother's words. 'I suppose they were torturing her.' he said, his eyes flashing.

'Yes, I suppose they were. They're not likely to get much out of her by having a nice little chat now are they?' She seemed a little angry, her dislike for Ginny evident on her face.

Draco looked away out of the window, seeing grey clouds form a solid mass across the hill tops.

'Please don't do anything stupid Draco.' Narcissa pleaded, taking his cold fingers in her hands.

'Like what?' snapped Draco, turning around to look at her and pulling his hands away from hers. 'Run away with her? Tell me mother, would you rather I stay here and wait for them to kill us both?'

'But they won't kill you Draco. I won't let them.'

'Oh really? And how do you plan to do that? Do you think the Dark Lord is going to care about your feelings? Do you think he won't kill you if you stand in his way?'

Narcissa remained silent, staring at her son stubbornly.

'Please mother, please, at least make sure Ginny has food, and let me know how she is.'

Narcissa stood up quickly, as though the bed had scorched her, and, without a backwards glance at Draco, she left the room, locking the door behind her.

Half an hour later, their house elf appeared, carrying a tray with some food and Draco's wand, leaving it upon the desk. It then turned to Draco and bowed. 'I have given Miss Weasley some food, Master Malfoy, and she tells me thank you, and says that she is surviving so far, though she could be better. Good day to you Sir!'

The elf bowed again and disappeared, leaving Draco staring at the spot where it had just been. When its news finally sunk in, Draco sprung off his bed, grabbed his wand, and hid it somewhere safe. He then returned to his bed, ignoring the food.

&&&&

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!'

Draco jumped and rolled over, falling off the bed onto the floor, finding himself tangled up in his duvet. After thrashing around for a short time, he managed to stand up and go over to the door, listening to the screams which had been going on for the past minute.

He stood there in the dark, his insides turning over and feeling sick at the rise and fall of Ginny's voice. It was obvious that they were torturing her. Only extreme pain could make her scream like that. When the noise became unbearable, Draco began to bang on the door, kicking and drumming his fists upon the wood, screaming and yelling as loud as he could. After a few moments, the door opened, and Draco's father stood there, smirking at him.Draco immediately tried to push past him, but Lucius jabbed the wand he had borrowed into his chest, blocking him.

'What are you doing to Ginny?!!' he bellowed in his face, panting from banging on the door, his face red and sweaty.

'Oh, just having a little fun.' he replied silkily, pushing Draco back into the room a little to ensure he couldn't escape. 'Perhaps you would like to join us?'

Draco glared at him, then spat in his face. 'You make me sick!'

'Argh!' Lucius stepped back, wiping Draco's spit off with a handkerchief, and Draco seized his chance to run. But he had barely reached the staircase when ropes came flying at him from behind, tripping him up and causing him to hit his head on the bottom step. He heard his father's laughs ringing in his ears behind him.

'_Wingardium Leviosa!_' said Lucius, making Draco hover upwards, then turning him upside down so the blood rushed to his head. 'Ooh, let us go to the theatre.' he said, the smirk evident in his voice. He walked up the stairs, hovering Draco infront of him, and occasionally hitting his head on the steps as they went.

Upon entering the room they were keeping Ginny locked in, Lucius flipped Draco the right way up and set him upon the ground, but immediately immobilised him so he couldn't even speak. Ginny was curled up on the floor, her face hidden under her hair, her limbs shaking. Draco also noticed that she was still wearing the bridesmaid dress, now rather crumpled up and even torn in places. Dolohov stood above her, holding a wand. He had been speaking to her when they had entered.

'Ahh, Lucius. I see you have brought your son along to the party?' he said, looking around, his evil eyes glinting.

'Yes, I thought it would be a nice little treat for him.' said Lucius, prodding the frozen Draco in the arm. He then looked at Ginny. 'Take a look Weasley, we've brought someone who might interest you. My scum bag traitor of a son, Draco.'

Ginny remained as she was for a few moments, too afraid to look, before lifting her head and staring straight into Draco's eyes. After only being there one night, Ginny's face was already pale, and there were dark shadows under her eyes. Draco wanted to just run over to her and hold her in his arms, and take her away from there, but he couldn't.

'I don't know what you see in this little tramp, Draco.' said his father, taking a step forward and pointing his wand at her. 'Her life isn't worth much, after all. _Crucio!_'

Ginny's piercing screams filled the room again, and Draco tried to yell too, but couldn't. His mouth and vocal cords had been immobilised along with every other part of his body. Her whole body shook worse than ever, her face buried in the folds of the skirt of her dress, and her white fingers gripping her dark red hair. Draco tried with all his might to fight the curse, he just wanted to run over to her and protect her, but the magic wouldn't give in.

'What's wrong Draco? Are we upsetting you?' said his father, ending the curse and glancing at him, laughing. 'Should we do it again to let you get used to the sight?'

'I'll do it.' said Bellatrix Lestrange, stepping into the room. '_Crucio!_'

Ginny screamed again, louder this time. It seemed his aunt was more powerful than his father. She continued for almost a minute, until Lucius said 'Enough.' he took a step forward. 'Rookwood, pick her up and restrain her. I am going to punish my son.'

Draco watched as Ginny was pulled to her feet and bound by Incarcerous. Lucius then ended the spell he had placed on his son and pushed him roughly to the floor. Before Draco had time to even look up, he heard the curse being called out. '_Crucio!_'

No matter how hard he tried to hide it, his yells of agony came loud from his lips. He heard the Death Eaters laughing, but their voices seemed dim and far away. 'Do you know why we're doing this Draco?' came his father's voice after a moment, when the curse had ended.

'Because you're sick.' he replied, looking at the floor with his arms around himself, his sweaty fringe falling forward over his eyes, shaking with the pain and shock of the curse.

'No. It is because of her. She is the reason. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have lost yourself the way you have done.'

Draco looked up slowly, finding Ginny's eyes. She was watching him, standing very still with Rookwood's hand enclosed around her upper arm, a tear trickling down her already very stained face. 'No, you are wrong. I haven't lost myself. Instead, she has helped me to find the person I truly am.' Upon hearing his words, Ginny looked away, closing her eyes and allowing her hair to fall over her face.

'She doesn't want to hear your words any more, Draco. You have betrayed her. Who would want to hear more lies emerging from a traitor's mouth? _Crucio!_'

Draco screamed again, but this time he tried to ignore the pain and began to crawl towards Ginny, stopping at her feet and grabbing hold of the hem of her dress, his teeth gritted as the curse ran through his body. 'Ginny!' he yelled, his voice cracked. 'It's not lies!' He panted, his father and the others laughing even more, and the curse went on for longer than usual. He was then brought up off the floor by some invisible force and slammed down on his back again, groaning.

'She doesn't want you any more Draco!' yelled his father, mirth and triumph filling his voice. 'She doesn't want sneaky traitors like you! And to be truthful, I don't blame her. Probably the only thing we could ever agree on!'

'Noooo!!!' Draco shouted, over and over again, his face screwed up as he shook his head from side to side. He looked at Ginny again, but she was avoiding his gaze, and then the curse came again. 'LOOK AT ME!!' he screamed, his limbs seemingly on fire, and Ginny did, her eyes being the last thing he saw before someone hit him with another spell and he blacked out.

&&&&

For three days Draco lay in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, listening to the sounds in the great manor around him. It seemed they had left Ginny alone for now, as her screams had not been heard since he had regained conciousness after the incident in her prison room, but that did not bring Draco much peace of mind. He knew she was alive, or else the Death Eaters would surely have come to taunt him with the dark news if she had been killed, but for how much longer, he did not know. So, he had been plotting, trying to figure out the safest way to get her out of there. He would wait until a night when there was barely no one in the manor but the Malfoys, and this he was able to find out by peeking through his curtains each time the peacocks squawked, is window having a clear view of the front drive.

Finally, the awaited evening arrived. This time Draco had forced himself to eat something, for strength, and he had retrieved his wand from it's hiding place, dressed in the black attire of the Death Eaters, and stowed a mask in his pocket, along with a few other things he thought he might need. He then faced the door, unlocked it, and stole out into the dark corridor.

Draco climbed the stairs, thanking heaven that they were made of marble and not wood, the carpet which covered them muffling his footsteps. He was also thankful to the fact that his mother had taken the liberty of teaching him non-verbal spells, as he could now do them pretty much to perfection. He arrived at Ginny's room, silently unlocking he door, opening it carefully, then looking inside.

It was pitch black inside the room and he couldn´t see anything. ´_Lumos!_´ he thougt, and the shivering beam lit the small room. In a corner was Ginny, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, which she had drawn up close to her body, and she was squinting at him through the light, the unmistakeable sign of fear upon her face. But, to his relief, she seemed to be physically unharmed.

He walked into the room and locked the door behind him, placing a silencing charm on it so that they could speak freely. ´Ginny, it´s Draco.´ he murmured, but the look on her face went from fear to anger. Feeling anxious at this reaction, and remembering the taunts of his father and the others, he looked around and noticed a lamp next to the door and lit it, filling the room with a stronger light. He looked back at Ginny. ´I´m here to help you.´

´YOU LIAR!´ Ginny yelled hoarsely, and in a flash she had jumped to her feet and flown at him, clocking him a punch on the nose. Draco felt it searing with pain as drops of blood spattered the floor, and he saw Ginny raise her fist for another attack.

´_Impedimenta!_´ he shouted, and Ginny was thrown back against the wall and crumpled on the floor. ´_Episkey._´ Draco muttered, pointing his wand at his nose. He then went over and knelt down next to Ginny to check that she was alright. Her face was buried in the dress she had been wearing since the wedding and she was clutching the back of her head in pain.

´I´m going to get you out of here.´ said Draco, reaching out to touch her hand, but she threw herself forward and tried to hit him again.

´You betrayed us, you scum!´ she screamed. ´You betrayed _me_!´

´Ginny, please! Stop!´ Draco gasped, grabbing her wrists and struggling to control her. ´It was an accident! I didn´t want to betray anyone! They forced it out of me Ginny!´

After trying to hit him again, she finally went limp and began to whimper. ´I don´t believe you! I hate you!´

Her words stung Draco as they reached him, making his heart ache. He let Ginny cry into his chest while he stroked her tangled hair. ´Maybe you do hate me, but that´s a shame, ´cause I love you.´ he murmured.

Ginny suddenly fell silent, then she looked at him, her eyes full of tears. ´You´d better not be lying.´ she whispered threateningly.

´I´m not lying Ginny. I´ve never lied to you, and I never will. I´d rather slit my own wrists than do that.´

´Y-you really love me?´ she asked in disbelief.

Draco nodded, then kissed her deeply. When he pulled away, he saw that Ginny was looking at him differently. ´And do you really hate me?´ he asked.

Ginny shook her head and kissed him again, then Draco pulled her to her feet. ´Come on. Let´s get out of here.´

He led her to the door and opened it quietly, checking the black corridor for any sign of his family or other Death Eaters. It was quiet. Gripping Ginny´s hand with slightly sweaty fingers, he led her back down the carpeted steps, trying to make as little sound as possible. After two floors, they reached the ground floor, where one lamp lit the hallway, then they made their way through the kitchen towards the back door.

´If they catch us, they´ll kill us, right?´ said Ginny in a barely audible whisper, glancing nervously at a cupboard in a corner from which little snores were heard.

´Yes, but if we stay then they´ll kill us anyway.´ Draco replied, coming to the small door at last. He stopped in the shadows and turned to her, after glancing at the house elf's cupboard too. ´They´ll kill you once they´ve got all the information that they need out of you, and me for being a traitor. The Dark Lord shows no mercy. I´m sure you have gathered that already.´

Ginny nodded and gave his hand a quick squeeze, as though seeking reassurance that he was really there. Then, just as Draco was about to turn back to the door, she kissed him hard on the lips. ´Whatever happens, I´ll always be with you, even if they do kill us.´

´I know Ginny.´ he said, running his hand down her cheek. ´And I promise the exact same thing.´ He turned to the door and began to work on the security spells he knew they had placed upon it. He was glad his mother had managed to return his wand, or else they would be as good as dead.

It took him a while to get all the spells off, during which Ginny kept watch. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he was finally able to open the door safely. He poked his head out and looked around.

It was dark outside, and the night was warm and slightly breezy, but the pale moon lit up the place just enough for them to be able to see a path leading away from the door and straight into the trees which grew not far away. The forest behind the Malfoy Manor was vast, and they would have to go through it to get past the enchantments which Voldemort had placed for miles around. Draco checked again for anymore security spells, but there were none. ´Come on Ginny.´ He smiled at her and took her hand again, then led her out into the night, the air refreshing their faces after being shut up for so many days. He quickly pulled her under the cover of the trees, then they began to run as fast as they could along the path. They didn´t stop until Ginny´s panting was loud in Draco´s ears, and he led her off the path so that she could rest for a moment.

´Here.´ he said, conjuring up a glass of water and handing it to her. He then did the same for himself and gulped it down thirstily. ´We´ve got a long way to go before we´re safe, and we can´t apparate out of this place either without the Dark Lord finding out. We´ll have to stay as far away from the path as we can to lose the trail. Do you think you could keep up if we run again?´

´I don´t know Draco. And you´re going to get tired at some point too.´ said Ginny, still gasping for breath.

Draco refilled her glass with water before answering. ´I know Ginny. But I´m only worried about you. Well, we´ll walk until you can catch your breath, then we´ll start running again, OK?´

Ginny nodded and then offered her glass to him to vanish. Draco then took her hand and led her onwards, keeping the pace as fast as he could without breaking into a run again.

They went on like this for what seemed like hours, running, slowing down to a fast walk to catch their breath, then running again. It was nearing dawn when they finally stopped and sat down, both of them exhausted.

´I´ve no idea how long this forest stretches on for.´ said Draco hoarsely, leaning his back against a tree trunk with Ginny beside him. ´But I know we can´t carry on much longer. I used to play in here when I was a kid, but I never went any further than a mile in. I wish I had brought a broom with me...´

Ginny said nothing, only leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling heavily as she began to calm down. Draco looked at her and thought he saw a tear escape from under her closed eyelid, and fall to mingle with the sweat on her face. He put his arm around her and stroked her hair. ´Don´t worry Ginny. We´ll get out somehow. Or at least I´ll make sure you do.´

She shook her head and took his hand, slipping her fingers through his. ´I´m not leaving without you. There´s no point in being safe if I don´t have you with me.´

´Oh Ginny...´ he wrapped his other arm around her and held her head against his chest, burying his face in her hair. ´I hope you never have to be without me. I´d worry about you too much.´

She looked up at him and gave him a teary smile, then kissed him. Draco held on to her for a moment, feeling her lips against his, then reluctantly broke the kiss and spoke to her. ´We should carry on now. When the sun comes up it will be a lot easier for them to find us. They´re bound to have noticed we´re gone by now. Here, have another drink before we go.´ He once again conjured up the glasses of water for them both, then vanished them again when they were empty and stood up, helping Ginny up with him.

They began a fresh walk, still not ready for running again yet, but they had only been going about five minutes when Draco stopped dead again, hearing a noise ahead. Ginny, who had nearly just bumped into him, held her breath as they both listened.

´I don´t like this.´ Draco breathed, scanning the dark trees ahead. He squeezed Ginny´s fingers tighter with a sweaty hand, while with the other he kept a firm grip on his wand. He led Ginny forward slowly, making as little noise as possible, stopping every few seconds. They came to a clearing, lit up well by the sinking moon, but there was no sign of anything. Draco was just beginning to think that it was probably just an animal when the grass rustled loudly ahead, and out of the shadows came at least ten dark figures.


	16. The Colour of Love

**Right, I'll warn now, this chapter contains some stuff that might not be suitable for little kids, as its somewhat bloody, so I hope I don't give anyone nightmares!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**The Colour of Love**

´_Accio wand!_´ came a deep voice from the centre of the line of Death Eaters, and before Draco had time to react, his wand flew from his grasp, only to be caught by the summoner. The cloaked figures began to advance, an evil grin on every face. Feeling panic rise within him, Draco stepped in front of Ginny as his last resort to protect her, and he felt her gripping his arms tightly with trembling fingers.

´Well well well, what do we have here? A traitor and a prisoner, trying to escape in the middle of the night. Did you really think you could get away?´ The man sniggered and stopped in the middle of the clearing, some ten feet away from Draco and Ginny. Meanwhile, the rest of the Death Eaters formed a semi circle ahead, while more rustling was heard behind. Draco and Ginny glanced around, seeing that another ten Death Eaters had blocked the way back, a wand in every hand. Draco wrapped his arms protectively around Ginny, pulling her close to him, searching frantically for a way out. Finding none, he looked back at the man closest to him.

´Awww, it´s ever so touching, the way he thinks he can keep her safe just by putting his arms around her.´ he said, and they all laughed again.

Draco vaguely recognized the voice, but he couldn´t remember his name. His face screwed up into and expression of hatred as he stared at the black eyes through the holes in the mask. ´I won´t let you hurt her.´ he said, his voice sounding completely different with the tone of fear that was in it.

They were still guffawing like hyenas, and another one of them stepped forward. This one Draco recognized as Dolohov. ´Haha, we know a _much_ better way to cause her pain Malfoy. It would be so much more enjoyable to see you do it to her.´ There was a leer upon his face as he stopped beside the other man. ´What do you think Rookwood? Should we give him his wand back?´

´You can´t make me do anything.´ spat Draco, feeling Ginny´s tenseness against him.

´_We _can make you do anything we want Malfoy. We don´t even need the Imperius curse. That is, if it´s really true that you are _in lurve_ with her.´ said Dolohov. A snigger ran through the circle.

´Yes, it´s true, and that´s why you can´t force me to hurt her.´ said Draco, glancing at Ginny´s pale face.

´Well, I´m afraid that´s where you´re wrong Malfoy. You see, we know for a fact that you´d do anything to keep her alive, even if it does involve hurting her.´ said Dolohov, taking Draco´s wand from Rookwood and taking a few more steps forward. ´So, what do you say men? Crucio a few times from Malfoy, or we´ll torture her into insanity before his very eyes. After that, we´d have to decide whether to leave her to die or kill her straight away.´

The Death Eaters cheered. ´I say he gives her three shots of Crucio!´ said a voice from the left.

´No, five!´ said another.

´Or we could see how she takes the first one, and decide from there!´ came a third.

´No!´ shouted Draco, taking a step back with Ginny and holding her tightly. A few Death Eaters raised their wands to make sure they didn´t go anywhere.

´I´ll forgive you Draco, whatever you decide.´ Ginny whispered.

Draco looked down at her, seeing fear in her eyes, but she was fighting it. ´I don´t want to hear you scream again Ginny.´

´I´ll scream anyway, whether you do it or not.´ she said defiantly.

Suddenly a large Death Eater stepped forward and grabbed Ginny´s shoulders, pulling her clean out of Draco´s arms and throwing her to the floor. ´Enough of this soppy rubbish. Give him his wand Dolohov!´

´Of course, but first we have to make sure he can´t attack us.´ He stepped back and formed a ring around Draco and Ginny: a barrier to stop magic from coming through. He then threw the wand over the magical wall.

Draco stayed stubbornly where he was. ´I won´t do it.´

´Yes you will. We´ll count down from twenty, and we want to see that wand in your hand by the time we´ve reached one.´ said Rookwood.

Draco looked at Ginny crouching on the floor and a jolt of guilt shot through him. _It´s my fault she´s been dragged into this, _he thought, gazing into her dark eyes curtained by her red hair. ´Just do it Draco.´ she whispered, as the Death Eaters began to count down. ´Or you´ll lose me, and I´ll lose you.´

He shook his head and took a step back, fear gripping him. Next thing Ginny crawled over to his wand, picked it up, and threw it at him. Golden sparks shot out the end of it as it came flying at him, and he grabbed it just in time to avoid getting hit.

´Go on Malfoy! Save her skin!´ jeered a Death Eater while the count went lower and lower.

´Come on! We want to hear screaming!´ shouted another.

A million doubtful thoughts and feelings crowded into Draco´s head, and all the while all he could see were Ginny´s pleading eyes. ´Come on Draco...´ she whispered. ´For your own sake...´

He raised the wand and pointed it at her, but still he didn´t say the incantation. The Death Eaters were now counting the final five numbers, some still shouting and encouraging him. ´But I love you...´

´JUST DO IT!!!´ she screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.

Draco screwed up his eyes to black out her face, his wand hand shaking and sweaty. ´Forgive me...´

´...Two... one!´

´CRUCIO!´ Ginny´s muffled whimpers reached Draco as he kept the wand on her for a moment, then lowered it.

´That´s no good!´ roared a Death Eater, who´s voice Draco recognized as Macnair´s. ´We want to hear screams!´

´Yeah, you ain´t stopping till she´s screamed enough!´ shouted Rookwood. ´Do it again, and put more force into it!´

Draco looked at Ginny, who hadn´t hardly moved. Her eyes were flashing with determination that she wouldn´t let him give up. He raised the wand again, gritting his teeth, trying to imagine she was one of the Death Eaters instead of his lover. ´_Crucio!_´

This time Ginny did scream, the sound filling Draco´s ears and making him feel sick. But when he stopped he knew it wasn´t enough. It would never be enough for them, because he loved her too much. He repeated the incantation, hating himself with every syllable he pronounced.

It wasn´t until the fifth attempt that the torture reached anywhere near the effect the Death Eaters wanted. Draco opened his eyes while he cursed her, and saw that Ginny was curled up with her head between her knees, her fingers grasping her hair tightly, and her screams blood curdling. He dropped the wand and rushed towards her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and allowing her to sob into his chest. ´I´m sorry! I´m so sorry!´ he whispered, his eyes stinging too.

´I know you are.´ she gasped, clutching the front of his robes in her fists. ´I can see it in your eyes.´

Draco glanced up and saw Rookwood take down the magic wall around them, then walk forward. ´Crabbe!´ he shouted, and a large, bulky figure unattached itself from the circle. Draco's friend´s father. ´Hold Malfoy for us. Macnair, I hope you have a knife at hand.´ He smirked as he looked at him.

Crabbe was behind him in seconds and pulled Draco clean of the floor, dragged him back a few paces, leaving Ginny unprotected on the grass, then held him still in a vice grip. ´Just to be on the safe side,´ Rookwood added, ´_Incarcerous!_´

Draco felt ropes wrap themselves tightly around his arms and he looked back at Ginny helplessly. Suddenly Macnair stepped forward and dragged her up off the floor by the hair. Draco saw a flash of silver as Macnair wrapped a thick arm around Ginny and placed the sharp point of an athame to her throat. He then looked up at Draco with an evil grin curling his lips, and the others were jeering again.

´Let´s see a little blood shall we?´ he sneered, passing the flat of the knife over Ginny´s bare neck, causing her to tilt her head back further. ´After all, red is supposed to be the colour of "love", isn´t it?´

´Leave her alone!´ shouted Draco. ´She´s had enough pain already!´

´Oh no, little Malfoy.´ laughed one of the other Death Eaters. ´We´re just getting started.´

´Yeah, show us some blood Macnair!´ shouted another.

´With pleasure.´ said Macnair in a mock voice. He took the athame away from Ginny´s neck and rested it on her cheek instead. Throwing Draco a leering glance, he drew a thin, shallow line across her pale, freckled skin. A few drops of blood trickled down Ginny´s face and she gritted her teeth, feeling the sting of the cut.

Draco struggled furiously against his bindings again, but still the ropes and Crabbe´s strong arms held him tight. ´Stop it!´ he spat, hating the sight of Ginny´s blood.

´Oh no, we want to see more.´ said Dolohov, moving forward with a hungry expression on his face. He grabbed Ginny´s wrist, forcing her palm flat, then he took the knife from Macnair´s hand with delicate fingers. He slowly cut into her skin, forcing a gasp from her lips. Then he began spreading the blood over her palm like he was buttering bread and pressed her fingers to her other cheek, leaving a gruesome hand print on her skin.

´Leave her alone, you sadists! You sick bastards!´ yelled Draco, still trying to force his way out of captivity. The other Death Eaters were still shouting and laughing, wanting more.

´Let´s see... Where else can we make a mark?´ said Dolohov, still holding Ginny´s wrist. He pushed up Ginny´s right sleeve, revealing her thin forearm. Ginny screwed up her eyes and bit her bottom lip as he began to carve the Dark Mark into her flesh.

´No!´ shouted Draco. ´Leave her alone!´

Dolohov smirked as he dropped her arm and then lifted her other sleeve, cutting long channels of blood down her arm. ´Show him your love, little witch.´

´Please! Please just stop it!´ screamed Draco, feeling sicker than ever as he watched the trails of blood staining her arms and spattering the grass.

Dolohov turned, hearing Draco begin to beg, and sneered. He advanced on him slowly, and Draco held his stare defiantly. ´But she´s bleeding for _you_, precious little Draco!´ he mocked. ´Don´t you know what that means? There are plenty of romantic crack pot fools who say that love makes blood run through one´s veins, are there not? They say that one would sacrifice everything for the one they truly love. Why don´t you taste just how much she cares for you, Malfoy?´

Laughing, Dolohov grasped a handful of Draco´s hair to hold his head steady, then he passed the bloody blade of the athame over his lips. Draco spluttered slightly as he tasted the coppery flavour of Ginny´s blood, feeling his head spin slightly. Taking advantage of Dolohov´s closeness, he kicked out hard at his shins, wishing to cause as much pain as he could.

Dolohov drew back slightly from the pain, gritting his teeth and clutching his leg, momentarily dropping the athame. But when he looked up again, gloat was gone from his face and had been replaced by anger. He picked up the athame again and straightened up, facing Draco.

´You´ve just made the biggest mistake of your life, Malfoy.´ Dolohov whispered, clutching the knife tightly. ´...They also say that one would sacrifice even their own life for the one they love. Would you do that for Weasley, Malfoy?´

Draco stared back into Dolohov´s cold eyes, then looked at Ginny. She was watching him fearfully, shaking her head, her red fingers clutching Macnair´s thick arms, which were still holding her tightly. He looked back at Dolohov, knowing what was coming next.

´I would.´ he said, a small smile curving his lips, despite the circumstances.

´Say goodbye then, Malfoy.´ And with that he drove the athame deep into the centre of Draco´s chest.

Ginny screamed as blood began to spurt out, and Draco, being released from Crabbe´s grasp, dropped to his knees, choking, blood filling his airwaves and his ribs splintered. Dolohov removed his bindings, looking satisfied, and then turned to the others, laughing.

´We´ll leave them here!´ he said, enjoying the sound of Ginny´s continuing screams. ´Let´s see if her love can save him now.´

The Death Eaters began to move out of the clearing, laughing and jeering as they went. Ginny was thrown to the floor by Macnair and she crawled as fast as she could towards Draco´s shaking body.

´Enjoy your time together while it lasts, fools!´ said one of the men as he passed. Ginny ignored him as she reached Draco´s side. He was sprawled face down, so she turned him over and lay his head in her lap, caressing his face.

´Oh Draco!´ she sobbed. ´What have they done?´ With shaking fingers, she took hold of the handle of the athame and pulled it out of his chest gently. Draco let out a groan of pain and Ginny threw the athame aside, then cradled his head again. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were beginning to cloud already.

´Please Draco, please don´t leave me! Please don´t die!´ she wept, stroking his hair away from his sweaty forehead and kissing him, leaving streaks of his blood as well as her own on his face.

´I have to go Ginny.´ he choked, more blood bubbling out of his mouth. ´It can´t be helped.´

´Yes it can!´ she sobbed. She looked around desperately, then noticed Draco´s abandoned wand lying on the other side of the clearing. Carefully laying his head back on the grass, she scrambled over to get it, then came back and pointed it at his wound.

´It won´t work Ginny.´ he whispered, gently pushing the wand aside and smiling slightly at her will as blood continued to seep from his lips and chest. ´The knife went too deep. The blood is filling my airways.´

´Yes it will!´ she said determinedly. She pointed the wand at his chest again and muttered ´_Episkey_´. She watched, expecting to see the skin knit back together, but the bleeding only ceased somewhat. Ginny whimpered and dropped the wand, cradling his head again and holding him close, allowing her tears to fall into his hair.

´It´s a complicated spell.´ he whispered. ´I don´t know it. There´s nothing we can do Ginny...´

´No!´ she sobbed, kissing him again. ´You can´t die!´

´I can Ginny.´ he said, entangling his fingers deep in her soft hair, their favourite place to be. ´And please... don´t follow me... I did this cause I love you... cause I want you to live...´

´But I can´t live without you!´ she said, running a hand along his jawline lovingly.

´You must... for me...´ he whispered, looking at her, her face swimming in and out of focus.

´I can´t! I love you!´ She kissed his forehead, and then his lips again, feeling the life leaving him as his breathing grew shallower. ´No Draco! Stay with me! I love you!´

´Draco!´ screamed a female voice hysterically from behind them. ´What did they do to you?´

Ginny looked around as Draco´s mother came running towards them, then she got pushed roughly aside.

´Get out of the way! I know how to save him!´ shouted Narcissa Malfoy, pulling out her wand and placing Draco´s head in her own lap. ´My son...´

After caressing his face, she began to pass her wand over his wound, singing an incantation which sounded similar to the one Snape had used to heal the Sectumsempra curse. Draco felt the wound healing and the pain begin to leave him, but exhaustion soon overtook as his vision turned black and he passed out.

**Hope you enjoyed it. I'm hoping to be back with more as soon as I can, but I have a lot of homework, so it's become difficult! Please review and let me know what you think. Also, thanks again to anyone who has reviewed already :)**

**Azure Oblivion**


	17. The Decisions Made

**OK, so I'm back with my final chapter, although there will be an epilogue, when I finally get time to write it. I apologise for keeping you all waiting, but of course, school comes first, unfortunately. I also hope you don't find this chapter a little too rushed. I've had writers block :-S Anyway, you'll have to let me know, by reviewing!!! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, or added me to their alert list. It really does give me a thrill when I see an email from this site in my inbox :) **

**Love to all,**

**Azure Oblivion**

**The Decisions Made**

´This is your fault.´ Draco heard his mother´s voice say. ´You are the cause of all this. I want you to leave us.´

´No. Your so-called master is the real cause. If it weren´t for him, Draco and I could be happy together, not living in secret. I´m going nowhere.´ replied Ginny´s voice defiantly.

´You will leave the Dark Lord out of this. He had his reasons, but it wasn´t his fault my son´s blood was oozing all over the grass. Dolohov will pay for that, I assure you. But you are in the way, now leave us, before I have to make you.´

´It wasn´t his fault, huh? As if he could care less. He told Draco himself that both of us would be killed, and he tortured him as easily as if he was taking a walk in the park. He was the one who ordered them to come after us.´

´Shutup! It´s still your fault, flirting with him, seducing him, leading him into your trap! I never want you in mine or Draco´s sight again! Get out and find your own way to safety!´

Draco finally managed to open his heavy eyes and look around. They were in a cave, a fire crackling close to him where he was lying on the floor, the unmistakeable sound of rain coming from the direction in which he thought he could see grey daylight. He rolled over and squinted in that direction, seeing two shadows near the entrance of the cave, his mother and Ginny. ´I want Ginny to stay mother.´ he croaked, his voice hoarse.

The pair of them looked around at the sound of his voice and rushed to his side. Narcissa conjured a glass of water and offered it to him, while Ginny watched him with a white face, her freckles standing out vividly and blood stains still on her skin. Draco drank thirstily, not taking his eyes from Ginny´s, then slumped back on the pillow that he had been resting his head on.

´I´m so glad you´re awake Draco. How are you feeling?´ said Narcissa, stroking away the hair which fell on his face.

´Much better thank you mother, but you can´t make Ginny go. I need her.´ He looked between them. Narcissa looked annoyed, but Ginny smiled a little at him.

´But you have me Draco. Aren´t I enough?´ said Narcissa, a little too forcefully.

´No mother. I need Ginny too. I can´t live without her.´ He reached out for her hand, which she let him take without hesitation.

Narcissa leaned back slightly and looked at Ginny, hatred and jealousy unmistakeable upon her face. ´It´s her fault you are lying here so weak Draco.´

´So I´ve heard, but I don´t agree. I chose to protect her. She didn´t ask me to.´

Narcissa looked between them, turning the matter over in her head, trying to decide what to do. In the end, she gave in. ´Fine, she may stay. But we need to get you to somewhere safe while you regain your health Draco. The only thing is, I can´t apparate you out of here, because the Dark Lord keeps a track of our apparating while we are inside the boundaries of the forest.´

´I could aid him until we get out of this forest, then take him to our headquarters. He will be well hidden there.´ said Ginny.

´Oh yeah, like your kind would really want a Death Eater among them.´ snapped Narcissa savagely.

´They had Snape with them, and look how he turned out.´ Ginny snapped back.

´Please, just stop arguing!´ Draco moaned, clutching his aching head. ´Ginny is right mother, they won´t trust us, but I´m sure they´ll let us stay, right Ginny? If you go back home now, they´ll torture you mother.´

Narcissa shook her head, her eyes shining with tears. ´I have to go back Draco. I am a Death Eater, and unlike you I don´t know Occlumency, so the Dark Lord will track us down much easier than if it´s just you and her.´ She jerked her head towards Ginny, not wishing to say her name. She caressed his face. ´And I don´t care what he does to me, I´d much rather be tortured or killed than have to bury my own son.´

´But I don´t want that to happen to you either.´ said Draco, placing the hand that wasn´t holding Ginny´s on his mother´s.

´No Draco, don´t worry about me. Just get to safety. I don´t like you to be with them, but as long as you won´t come to harm...´ She leaned down and kissed his head, then took out her wand. ´But before you go anywhere, you need to eat.´ She conjured up a bowl of soup for him, another one for herself, then, after receiving a look from Draco, she reluctantly did some for Ginny too.

&&&

Chilly rain was falling heavy on Draco's face, refreshing him after the apparating experience. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was that they were standing in a country lane, a hedge running on one side and what he thought to be fields on the other. It stretched a few yards before disappearing into fog. He looked down to his left, seeing Ginny smile reassuringly at him. He managed a faint smile back to her, filled with gratitude that she had just spent the whole day aiding him through the forest, and got them both to safety.

'Come on Draco.' She said, pulling his arm further around her shoulders. 'Not far to go.'

They began to walk forward, their shoes squelching in the mud. They had only gone a short way, however, when Draco heard Ginny whisper something and a rusty old gate appeared in the hedge. He looked up, seeing lights and a big dark mass looming high above them. Ginny smiled again and opened the gate, helping him up to the kitchen door of the Burrow. The light Draco had seen was spilling out through several windows onto the grass, and through a space in the curtains of one of them he could see Ginny's mother standing stirring a pot on the stove with her back to them. Ginny knocked on the door, and a clatter sounded on the other side, followed by the sound of Mrs. Weasley's voice.

'Who is it?'

'Ginny Weasley.' Ginny replied into the key hole. 'Daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley, only girl and the youngest child of the family...'

But she didn't get much further. There was a loud scream inside and the door was yanked open. Ginny was suddenly dragged forward into a pair of arms, and Mrs. Weasley took one look at her face before squashing her against her body, sobbing into the top of her head. It was several moments before she was aware that Draco was there too, slumped against the door frame, feeling like he was about to pass out again. Mrs. Weasley stared at him, her face full of shock.

'Ginny, you've brought a Death Eater home.'

'No mum, he's not a Death Eater anymore. He helped me to escape, and they nearly killed both of us in our flight. Look.' She showed her the cuts on her arms, and then pointed at Draco's chest. The sight of the injuries merely sent her into a fresh wave of tears, and she embraced Draco.

'Thank you for bringing my daughter back to me.'

Draco nodded, weakly patting her back as he stood limply in her arms. She then helped him inside, closing and locking the door behind them, and led him into the living room and onto the sofa, Ginny aiding him on the other side. 'Thanks.' he whispered, laying his heavy head back on the cushions, his eyes closing.

'That's right, you rest there dear.' She then turned to Ginny again, hugging her another time. 'I just can't believe you are home, I've been so worried, my heart broken, I thought you were dead!'

'I know mum. I thought I was going to die too. But right now, please can you help Draco. He needs food, and medicine. He lost a lot of blood, they stabbed him in the chest, and he was lucky his mother found us and healed him as best she could.'

'Of course. Let me see the wound Draco.' She kneeled beside the sofa, looking down at him.

Draco weakly lifted his arms, pulling the front of his shirt open to reveal the scar of the wound. 'I don't think you need to do anything to it.'

'No, you just need something to regenerate your blood. And perhaps a little Ditanny will help the scar to fade.' She stood, turning to Ginny. 'Find yourself and Draco some dry clothes dear, and bring me some quilts for him so he can warm up.'

Ginny nodded and ran up the stairs, while Mrs Weasley went into the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with several bottles and a steaming bowl of stew. Not long after, Draco was sitting up again on the sofa, new strength filling him, and he was spooning the stew into his mouth, while he listened to Ginny relay their story to her mother while they ate in the kitchen. He had just swallowed the last spoonful, when he heard Mr Weasley arrive, his wife having sent him message that Ginny was back safely. He heard the cries of joy as he and his daughter greeted each other, and he smiled to himself.

'Thank you so much Draco Malfoy, for risking your life to bring Ginny back.' he said upon entering the sitting room and seeing Draco. 'I see you are a different man.'

'It was something I had to do sir. It was my fault she was there, I had to get her out. I would have done it anyway.'

Mr Weasley nodded, and Draco was suddenly unsure if he knew about their relationship or not. He decided to leave it until later on, and ask Ginny when they had some privacy. Soon after, however, Mrs Weasley sorted out Percy's room for him to sleep in, and Ginny helped him up the stairs and into bed. Then, making sure her mother had gone back downstairs, she lay with him, falling asleep in his arms, and Draco soon followed.

&&&

The weeks went by slowly, as Draco healed, the only sign of the wound now a faint scar on his chest. But he was getting restless, just sitting around doing nothing all the time, waiting to hear news, or whether Voldemort had decided to come and get him yet. And he could see that Ginny was too. And all the while, they heard nothing from Harry, Ron or Hermione, and it was only a matter of time before someone from the Hogwarts came along to find out why Ginny wasn't at school. And so, several weeks after their return to safety, Draco decided to mention to her what was on his mind.

Ginny poked her head around Draco´s door to see him sitting beside the window, like he often did those days, staring out at the grey skies and falling rain. She entered and shut the door behind her, smiling. ´Hey.´

Draco looked around, hearing her come in, and smiled too. ´Hey baby. Come and sit down.´ He patted his lap to indicate where he wanted her to sit.

She smiled and went over, seating herself gently on his knee, then rested her head on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her, making her feel safe. She sighed. ´I miss you when we´re not in the same room.´

Draco chuckled a little and squeezed her slightly. ´I miss you too honey. All the time... You know, I´ve been thinking, maybe we could run away together.´

Ginny looked at him and smiled. ´Sweet.´

´I´m not joking. I´ve just been thinking, we wouldn´t have to hide anymore if we left the country. We wouldn´t have to be scared or worry about You-Know-Who or put up with the Order objecting or anything like that. We could be free.´

Ginny stared at him. ´But where would we go?´

Draco shrugged. ´I dunno. Anywhere. France, Spain, Germany, Italy even. Anywhere they can´t find us. We could complete our education, and get married, and start a new life together. What do you think?´

´Married?´ Ginny repeated, her eyes wide. ´You and me?´

´Well yeah. If we love each other, why not? We can spend forever together, no one would bother us. We could even change our name if it´s necessary. Come on Ginny, just think, we´ll be free!´ He smiled and kissed her surprised face.

´But what about my family?´ she said, still watching his face.

Draco sighed. ´I´m afraid that´s up to you Ginny. You have to decide between them and freedom. I won´t force you to do anything, but I promise you this, if we do leave, I'm willing to come back with you if you feel that you miss them too much.´

Ginny sighed too and put a hand on his cheek. ´I don´t know Draco. They still don´t actually know that we´re together, and if we just disappear... well, they´re gonna worry, and I´ll probably feel guilty to just abandon them.´

´But honey, you´re not doing anything to help them anyway.´ said Draco, kissing her hands. ´They don´t let you, because you´re too young. And besides, you could tell them why you are leaving, or if you think they might try to stop us, then leave them a letter explaining everything. They can only take your word for it that I´m not taking you back to the Death Eaters.´

Ginny nodded. ´Yes, I suppose I´ll have to think it over. But whatever I decide Draco, you do know that I will still love you, always.´ She kissed him.

´Of course Ginny. And I love you too, forever.´ He smiled and began to kiss her again, pulling her as close to him as he could get her, while the rain lashed against the window and they could hear Ginny's parents in the lower floors, living each day as best they could while somewhere else in the world other people were killed, and tortured, and robbed of loved ones, and lived in fear, through every moment of their lives.

&&&

It was still dark when Draco quietly opened Ginny's door, approximately four in the morning. A candle was flickering on her dressing table, and there was a shrinking bag lying open on the bed, Ginny pacing backwards and forwards fully dressed, throwing in a few last minute items. She looked up as she heard Draco step inside and close the door behind him, and smiled slightly as she walked forward to hug him. He noticed that her face was wet with tears.

'Are you nearly ready?' He asked, as he kissed and stroked her hair.

'Yes. And I've written a note for my parents... They're going to be so upset...'

'Don't worry. They'll understand. You'll be safe, and they'll be glad of that.'

She nodded, releasing her hold on him and returning to put the last few things into the bag. She then yanked the zip shut, lifting the bag to check its weight. 'Hmm, not bad, considering it holds nearly all of my possessions. I got the idea from Hermione...' She fell silent, looking down at the little bag as she remembered her friends. A moment later she put her hand in her pocket to draw out a small white envelope, which she then placed carefully on top of her pillow, a fresh wave of tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. Draco went over and put his arm around her, whispering in her ear. 'You don't have to do this, you know. We can stay.'

She shook her head. 'No. I want to go. And anyway, my parents are in a lot less danger if we aren't here.'

'That's true. It's much better for everyone. We are only a Romeo and Juliet creating problems for everyone.'

She nodded, smiling slightly as she pulled a cloak around her shoulders and took his hand. 'Come on. Let's get out of here.'

She lifted her bag, resting the strap on her shoulder, and blew out the candle before they silently left through the bedroom door. She led Draco down the stairs, warning him when they came to creaking steps, through the kitchen, and finally out through the door into the damp early morning. The stars twinkled high above in the cold, black sky, while the almost full moon lit the way to the gate. Ginny opened it quietly, but before closing it again she turned back to take a last look at her dark and silent home. She stood there for a long moment, until she started to shiver, then closed the gate carefully, looking up at Draco with a sad little smile on her face. Draco smiled back, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked up to the end of the lane, from where they promptly disapparated.


	18. Epilogue

**So, here I am, finally, with the epilogue. I'll warn that there are very strong spoilers for those of you who have not read Deathly Hallows, as it is practically just recounting the ending, but in a version to go with my fanfic. Merely tying up loose ends, to be truthful. I'm sorry it took so long, and I really am relieved it is finally finished. I've been very busy with school, and copying pieces from the book was a little boring, but oh well. I'd like to thank all who reviewed (E_ruwaedhiel Malfoy, Miss Devil's Kiss, MeggyandHaku, Rasbery1298, Secret World, and Maxie1514_) and all who put me on their story alert (_GothicSorceressRikku15, J.P.Rose, MsDracoMalfoy721, WeepingCherry, HoneyDuck, ScaryKitten, Lil59, Tristan Cartier, Gogapaig, and, of course, Lurking Princess_) so much for reading my stuff, and giving me the encouragement to keep writing. I really appreciate it, and it makes me so happy to receive a review or know that someone is waiting to read more. It may be a while before I write any more fics, as I am very hooked on RP at the moment. Anyway, I hope you all like it, and please let me know whether you liked it or not, or tell me something constructive on how I can improve. Thanks so much again, love you all! Azure Oblivion. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Epilogue**

The battle was raging. Hundreds of Death Eaters were casting every curse imaginable, humongous giants were milling into the grounds, and the sounds of screaming and great explosions ripped through the air. Fear filled the mind of every defender of Hogwarts, and every defender of Harry Potter, as each moment they spent praying that their friends, their family, their future, would be safe. There were only two choices that night: sleep forever, or not sleep at all.

'Luna, watch out!' yelled Neville Longbottom, leaping forwards to pull Luna Lovegood out of the way of an oncoming curse. He slipped on the grass, bringing them both to the floor.

'Be careful Neville.' said Luna, a note of seriousness in her dreamy voice as she helped him up again. 'We don't want to get trampled.'

'Thanks.' He gave her a brief smile, glad to see that she, for one, was keeping a cool head, and then turned, sending a Stunning Spell right into the face of the nearest Death Eater.

'Do you think Harry will have found the Diadem yet?' asked Luna from behind him, also firing spells.

'I don't know. I hope so. It seemed pretty important for some reason.' He sent another enemy dancing off into the midst of a crowd of duellers, his legs twitching rapidly about.

'Perhaps if he finds it he thinks he'll be able to work out how to defeat You-Know-Who. Though I can't imagine what he'd look like with a tiara on his head.'

Neville almost laughed, a funny image of what she had just mentioned popping up in his mind. Just then, as part of one of the towers was blasted away and all came tumbling down over to the west, a large amount of gold and silver sparks were fired into the air over by the front gates, resembling fireworks. 'Look Neville!' said Luna, pointing. Neville looked over, to see a crowd of people marching through the gates, all wearing robes of gold and silver, a picture of a scarlet dragon embroidered on the front.

'Who are they?' asked Neville, confused. 'Are they with us, or with You-Know-Who?'

Luna stared for a moment, trying to make out some of them. It wasn't until the faces of the two people in front, a girl with fiery hair and a blonde boy, that a huge smile crept over her face. 'They're with us.'

Neville looked on, confused, as he recognised the people who abandoned their marching parade and ran into the crowd of fighters, the others soon following them, shooting curses at the Death Eaters. 'Ginny, and Malfoy?'

...

Draco rushed into the crowd of fighters with the rest of the Dragon Dynasty, the crowd of peace keepers who had accompanied them all the way from the four corners of Europe, Ginny close at his side, yelling every curse he could come up with as he pointed his wand at every person wearing Death Eater masks. It seemed they had arrived with perfect timing, the battle having only just begun. And even more perfect timing: incredibly, for the chaos around them was enough to block out anyone's concentration, Draco spotted two people running up the steps into the castle, who could only be Crabbe and Goyle. Six years of hanging around with them made their figures and the way they moved unmistakeable. And something told Draco that he ought to follow them.

'Ginny, listen.' he said, shouting over the noise. 'I need to leave you for a short while. I've just seen Crabbe and Goyle run into the castle, and I've got a feeling they're up to something, other than fighting that is. Stay close to Max. He'll take care of you.'

He saw Ginny glance at Max, the leader of the Dragon Dynasty, with her eyes narrowed, before she glared back up at him defiantly. 'I won't be separated from you.'

'Please Ginny, I want you to stay out of harm as much as possible. You weren't even supposed to come tonight, but I let you.' He thrust his wand forwards behind Ginny, repelling an oncoming jinx.

'No Draco, I'm coming with you. If I am meant to die tonight, then I will, no matter who I am with or where I am. And if that is so, I'd rather be by your side.'

Draco swallowed hard, looking up at the lights of the castle in his hesitation. Ginny was right. If death wanted her, he couldn't stop it from taking her. And after all, the defenders of the castle seemed to have kept the Death Eaters out so far, except of course Crabbe and Goyle. Giving in, he grabbed her hand, and forced his way through the crowds of fighters, shooting more spells here and there and blocking others when necessary. With a great struggle, they managed to break through into the somewhat less crowded Entrance Hall, and Draco ran up the marble staircase with Ginny. He had no idea where they could have gone, and neither, it seemed, did Ginny. He stopped on the first floor, looking around, when suddenly a Hufflepuff boy came running down the stairs from the floor above.

'Ernie!' shouted Ginny, rushing forwards and pulling Draco by the hand. 'Ernie, we're looking for Crabbe and Goyle, have you seen them?'

'Ginny?' Ernie stared at her in shock, and even more so upon seeing Draco clinging to her hand, but nodded all the same, looking back at Ginny. 'Yes, I passed them up on the fifth floor, muttering something about Gryffindor Tower. I managed to hide as they passed though.'

'Okay, good, thanks so much Ernie!' Ginny pulled on Draco's arm as she hurried up the second set of stairs, but Draco was already following quickly. Ten minutes later they were running up the last set of steps, panting wildly, but came to an abrupt halt. The seventh floor corridor was blocked off, the ceiling and part of the wall having collapsed. 'This way!' yelled Ginny, and they headed around a corner, into the corridor Draco recognised as the one which harboured the Room of Requirement. It wasn't empty. Dragging Ginny behind a large vase, he watched as Crabbe and Goyle went through the door into the Room, talking about Harry Potter and a diadem. Ginny stared at him after they disappeared, her face visibly white beneath her freckles even in the darkness.

'I can't let you come with me.' he whispered, in answer to her unspoken question. 'If Harry is indeed in there, for goodness knows what reason, I'm going to have to trick Crabbe and Goyle into thinking I'm with them so that I can help him. I can't do that and protect you at the same time, it's too suspicious. Even they aren't that stupid.'

Ginny nodded. 'I understand.'

Draco breathed a sigh of relief, kissing her forehead, and then her lips. 'Wait for me out here. I'll be back as soon as I can. Make sure you hide behind here though, just in case.'

Ginny nodded again. 'I love you Draco.'

He looked down in to her fearful eyes, and kissed her again. 'I love you too Ginny.' After one last kiss, he pulled away, releasing himself from her hold, before crossing the short distance between the vase and the door and slipping into the Room of Hidden Things, the sick feeling of familiarity washing over him immediately. He walked forward, hearing voices coming from just beyond the vanishing cabinet which had been the source of all his troubles the year before.

'Malfoy virtually lived in the Room of Hidden Things all last year, we know how to get in.' Came Crabbe's voice.

'We was hiding in the corridor outside,' grunted Goyle. 'We can do Diss-lusion Charms now! And then you turned up right in front of us, and said you was looking for a die-dum! What's a die-dum?'

'I was just wondering that myself.' said Draco coldly, emerging around the corner, his wand raised. The three people in the aisle of junk turned to look at him, but seconds later, Ron Weasley's voice was heard from the other side of the wall.

'Harry? Are you talking to someone?'

With a whip-like movement, Crabbe pointed his wand at the fifty-foot mountain of old furniture and shouted '_Descendo!_'

'Ron!' Harry bellowed as the pile began to crumble and a scream was heard elsewhere. '_Finite!_'

The flow of falling furniture was steadied, and Draco saw Crabbe move to repeat the spell. 'No!' he shouted, grabbing his arm. 'If you wreck the room, you might bury this diadem thing!'

'What's that matter?' said Crabbe, tugging himself free. 'It's Potter the Dark Lord wants, who cares about a die-dum?'

'Potter came in here to get it,' said Draco, frantically keeping up the pretence to stop him from getting anyone killed. He would worry about keeping them from taking Harry to Voldemort later. 'So that must mean-'

'"Must mean?"' said Crabbe, turning on him ferociously. 'Who cares what you think? I don't take your orders no more, _Draco. _You haven't even been here all year. You were too busy helping blood traitors to run away from your own family.'

'Harry?' came Ron's voice again, before Draco could retort. 'What's going on?'

'Harry?' mimicked Crabbe. 'What's going- _no_, Potter! _Crucio!_'

Harry had lunged for something nearby; Crabbe's curse missed him but hit a stone bust, which flew into the air, sending a tarnished looking tiara upwards and out of sight in the mass of objects on which the bust had rested.

'STOP!' Draco shouted, panicking as he rushed forward and grabbed Crabbe's arm. 'The Dark Lord wants him alive-'

'So? I'm not killing him am I?' he yelled, throwing him off. 'but if I can, I will. The Dark Lord wants him dead anyway, what's the diff-'

A Stunning Spell cam from nowhere, both Draco and Crabbe leaping out of the way, before spotting Hermione at the other end of the aisle.

'It's that Mudblood! _Avada Kedavra!_'

'No!' Draco gasped, but Hermione managed to avoid it. Harry, however, had become infuriated, and sent a Stunning Spell at Crabbe, who lurched out of the way, knocking Draco's wand out of his hand; it rolled out of sight into the junk.

But he didn't have much time to regret the loss, as both Crabbe and Goyle were charging at Harry, their wands raised. 'Don't kill him! DON'T KILL HIM!'

'_Expelliarmus!_'

Goyle's wand flew out of his hand, before he was promptly stunned by Hermione, and Crabbe somehow managed to avoid yet another spell from the newly appeared Ron. '_Avada Kedavra!_' Crabbe yelled again, as Draco dodged behind a wardrobe to avoid another Stunner, seeing Ron avoid the curse just in time. But then, to his horror, he saw Crabbe performing a complicated wand movement, and before he could stop him, a burst of flame shot from his wand with a deafening roar. He heard Hermione scream as he jumped out from behind the wardrobe to grab the unconcious Goyle, without a wand to revive him, as Ron and Crabbe ran past. With no idea where he got the strength from, he heaved Goyle's body, dragging him down the aisle as fast as he could. Hearing the shouts of the others and Harry's fruitless attempt at putting the fire out, he managed to keep up somehow, falling a short distance behind, before they turned a corner and disappeared. Draco turned in the direction he thought the door was, but even then he doubted whether he would get them both out alive. Crabbe had vanished, and the fire, with its monstrous figures, was growing closer and hotter and louder. He ran half blindly through the jungle of junk, dragging Goyle's dead weight behind him, panicking, unable to find the door. The fire was surrounding them. With no other alternative, he began to climb a tower of furniture, pulling Goyle behind him, slipping several times, as the fire crept upwards. He reached the top with an enormous effort, coughing in the smoke, and saw two dark figures fly overhead. He yelled out in his last desperate calls for help, and, miraculously, the figures turned towards them. Harry's face became visible through the smoke as he reached a hand out to help Draco, but it was for nil. Draco's sweaty hand slid out of Harry's immediately.

'IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU HARRY!!' roared Ron's voice as he and Hermione appeared on the other broomstick. They hovered above them and heaved Goyle's body up between them, before Draco pulled himself up onto Harry's broomstick.

'The door, get to the door, the door!' He yelled in Harry's ear, pointing in the right direction. Harry didn't need telling twice, and swooped upwards again through the room, Draco holding tightly to the back of his robes. But then suddenly, he turned and dived again. 'What are you doing, what are you doing?! The door's that way!' He shouted, panicking as they headed straight for a fiery serpent's mouth. Harry grabbed something that was hurtling through the air, then turned back just in time, shooting for the door, where they collided with the wall opposite. The door sealed itself behind them as Draco rolled to the floor, coughing and choking up smoke as he filled his lungs with clean air.

'C-Crabbe...' he gasped, when he could speak again, looking at the stretch of bare wall where the door had been.

'He's dead.' came Ron's harsh voice. Draco stared blankly, unable to figure out how he was feeling about that certain piece of truth, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He got to his feet, and looked around for Ginny. She was supposed to be here. Usually she would have come running at the first sight of them.

'Where's Ginny?' He said, but no one was listening to him. They were all crowded around the tiara that Harry had found. Draco walked away, pausing only to drag Goyle away and revive him in the boys bathroom nearby, leaving him recuperating groggily on the bathroom floor. He ran out again, dodged past a pair of Weasleys duelling a couple of Death Eaters, and ran down the stairs, hoping to find Ginny, and possibly another wand on the way.

He weaved through crowds of fighters, making his way lower and lower towards the Entrance Hall, when suddenly he was grabbed by a Death Eater.

'Time to die boy!' he said, poking his wand into Draco's throat.

'I'm a Death Eater! I'm a Death Eater! I'm on your side!' He lied frantically. But the other had no time to reply. A Stunning Spell came from nowhere, and Draco looked around, only to receive a punch in the face from an invisible force which knocked him to the floor on top of the unconscious Death Eater.

'And that's the second time we've saved your life tonight, you two-faced bastard!' came a voice from above him. Draco almost laughed as he recognised it was Ron's, but was to busy rubbing his bleeding mouth to do so. He looked around, grabbed the wand of the stunned Death Eater, and jumped up again, to rejoin the fray. In the Entrance Hall, he found a few members of the Dragon Dynasty duelling Death Eaters, and joined them.

'Jean, have you seen Ginny?'

'I have not, Master Malfoy.' came the reply of the thick set French man. He looked somewhat worried at Draco's words. The Dragon Dynasty had been very fond of Ginny from the beginning. 'Not since she was with you. But if I spot her, I shall tell her you are looking for her.'

'Thanks Jean.' said Draco, feeling his stomach twist uncomfortably as he sent curses flying. This was madness. There were blood and bodies scattering the floor of the hall, and a stray curse had shattered the Slytherin giant hourglass, its emeralds sparkling across the stone flags. The fight went on for what seemed like a long time, dawn was approaching, many had fallen, until finally Voldemort's voice echoed across the grounds, telling them they had one hour to tend to their injured, before he came to claim Harry Potter. The crowds began to make their way into the Great Hall, dragging bodies and laying the dead in rows in the centre of the large room. Draco began to do the same, taking hold of the body of a girl he had known only by sight. He felt ill, looking into her blank eyes, and praying that he would never have to see Ginny's eyes stare at him glassy and empty in such a way.

He had moved three bodies into the Great Hall when he finally heard his name being called in the voice he longed to hear. He turned, catching a glimpse of Ginny's sobbing face before she threw her arms around him and buried it in his chest. He held her tightly, kissing her hair and breathing in her scent. 'Thank god you're okay. I was so worried! What happened?'

'Oh Draco, I'm so sorry. I was hiding, like you told me to, but then some Death Eaters came along and found me, and I tried to duel them, but there were too many, so I had no choice but to run away.' Ginny was shaking and sobbing, her tears pouring freely down her face and soaking Draco's front. 'And Fred is dead, Draco! Fred is dead, and mum is heartbroken! And I feel so awful, I haven't even seen him for the past year.'

Draco held Ginny as she sobbed, feeling a twinge of guilt at the fact that it had been he who had kept Ginny away from her family all that time. But there was nothing they could do about that now. All they could do was wait, and tend to the injured, until the battle recommenced...

_Some time later..._

_'Avada Kedavra!'_

_'Expelliarmus!'_

There was a bang like a cannon blast as the spells from both Harry and Voldemort collided in mid air, the green light flying back, hitting Voldemort squarely in the chest, as the Elder Wand flew from his hand in a great arc, to be caught neatly by Harry. There was a tumultuous outburst of mingled joy from the Hogwartians and terror from many of the Death Eaters, and everyone rushed forwards to embrace their saviour, the victorious Boy Who Lived.

Draco was in shock at the revelation that he had played an important part in Voldemort's death, and the fact that he was gone and they could be happy at last had still not sunken in. He was still fearing that something else was about to go wrong. He stared around himself, slightly dazed, and being buffeted this way and that by the crowd. He made his way away from them, to stand quietly in a corner, watching the exchanges of celebration around Harry, waiting until the moment when Ginny would come back to him. He jumped, however, as two pairs of arms wound their way around him from behind, but they were gentle.

'Oh Draco!' sobbed his mother's voice, as she began to bury him in kisses. 'You're alive!'

Lucius merely ruffled his hair, and when Draco caught sight of his face, he was watching him, half relieved, half wary. Draco merely returned his gaze with a glare of pure hatred. It would be a long, long time, if ever, before he would trust his father again, after the torture he had inflicted upon himself and Ginny. But for now, he ignored him, turning his attention back to his mother, glad to have her back, at least.

Everyone ended up in the Great Hall once more, a mixture of joy and grief surrounding them, and the Malfoy's sat alone in a far corner, not quite fitting in with the rest of the crowd. Draco watched Ginny from a distance as she spent time with her family, mourning for Fred Weasley's death. It was a long while before she saw him again, and came over, casting wary glances at his parents. Draco ignored them, and walked over to meet her part way, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply.

'It is time to tell our family, Draco.' she whispered when they separated.

'I know.' said Draco, and he looked back at his parents, gesturing for them to join him, before they made their way over to the Weasleys, his arm around Ginny.

'Mum, dad, everyone,' Ginny announced, and her family looked up, a little surprised to see the Malfoys with them. They already knew of the relationship, Ginny having explained to them in the letter she had left, but it was still strange for them to see them together. 'You probably already know this, but Draco and I are together. We wish to marry.'

There was silence, tensed with shock and, in the Malfoys' case, dislike, but next moment Mrs Weasley rushed forward with a sob, hugging first Ginny, then Draco, and Mr Weasley shook his hand, before looking at Lucius and Narcissa, a very formal look upon his face as he forced himself to hide his dislike. 'Well, it seems that very soon we will all be part of the same family.'

'Yes, it seems so, Arthur.' said Lucius. And for a long moment they looked at each other, in obvious indecision, before they both rose their hands in unison and shook them. 'I must say, I never expected a daughter of a Weasley to take my name.' he said, with a half smile.

'Neither did I, Lucius. Neither did I.'

Seeing the exchanges of their parents, the rest of the Weasleys rushed forwards, all hugging Ginny, and shaking Draco's hand. The dislike was still there, it probably would be for a long time yet, and there was an aura of awkwardness over the group, but Draco and Ginny finally had their blessings, and it was enough.

Three years later, the couple were married, the wedding taking place on none other than the grounds of Hogwarts on a fine summer's day. By that time, Draco was pretty much trusted by the good side of the wizarding world, and his parents were respected to a certain extent. They had three children, all of whom were in Gryffindor, and the name Malfoy was no longer looked upon with hatred and distrust, but with admiration for Draco Malfoy's part in helping out the great Harry Potter in his role in defeating Lord Voldemort. They were happy, and lived in peace, which was all that would ever matter.


End file.
